DISCUSSION: FORESTS, RESERVOIRS, AND STREAM FLOW 325 
SUMMARY. Mr. Roberts, 
| Winter Montas. Lesry Montss, 
Period. 
15 ft. | 20 ft. 15 ft. 20 ft. 
| 
First t 
(1855-1881). f Be | a2 18 7 
| Poot 
Second 
(1882-1907), | 116 | av 18 4 
Since 1875 there has been no marked change in forest or brush- 
covered areas about the heads of the Ohio; while, during the winter 
end early spring months, covered in the second period, storms from 
the Gulf of Mexico, traversing the well-worn storm trail via Vicks- 
burg, Chattanooga, and Charleston, W. Va., have, for some occult 
reason, reached Pittsburg with unprecedented frequency. 
In the case of “cloudbursts,” or storms of the tornado type, which, 
as a rule, traverse very narrow paths, few will dispute that a dense 
forest, by prolonging the discharge, even for brief periods, of the small 
streams they cross or follow, may reduce their flood heights. It is, 
however, from such limited areas, apt to be struck by violent storms 
once in from 3 to 5 years only, that reports come that are made the 
basis of arguments applicable to large rivers. The worst known storm 
of this nature, which deluged some of the suburbs of Pittsburg in 1874, 
raising two small runs to 15 or 20 ft. depth and destroying more than 
200 human lives, affected the depth of the Ohio only about 5 ft. Hence 
it becomes important to differentiate the storms producing floods on 
small streams and on navigable rivers, as Colonel Chittenden intimates 
is so necessary for a complete elucidation of the subject. 
In his treatment of co-ordinate topics, such as effects of forests on 
rainfall, dew, evaporation, erosion of slopes, silting up of rivers, and 
soil wash, Colonel Chittenden may be assailed by some who will differ 
with him in opinion. It is a mistake, however, to assume that those 
‘who endorse the author’s views are antagonizing forest culture. No 
abler exposition, perhaps, of the importance and value of the forests 
has been presented than can be found in his résumé. He asks, how- 
ever, that the new forests be planted convenient to the markets near 
the homes of the people. It is not wanton destruction on the part of 
the mountaineer to girdle the trees to make room for his corn and 
buckwheat crops, for gladly would he part with the biggest of the 
tree trunks for a pittance, but no offers are made him because the 
cost of transportation stands in the way. 
So, while all of us have the same love for the trees, business con- 
siderations are very rude at times with our sentiments. We may hold 
