DISCUSSION. 71 



of those trees certainly, because they have not been cut down. 

 I should like to say also that, as far as I have been able to 

 investigate the statements that forests produce or increase rain, 

 generally no data are given i.e., the rain measures on cleared and 

 uncleared forest are not given, in fact there is no scientific data to 

 go upon. I would point out that not long since a gentleman 

 holding a high position in a neighbouring colony made a statement, 

 as reported by an officer in the Austrian service, that millions of 

 trees had been planted in Victoria, and streams had burst out in 

 more than one hundred places. That is the kind of statement 

 usually made, and, upon enquiry, I found there was not a single 

 instance in which there was any evidence that the planting of 

 these trees had produced streams of water. These statements 

 have been made for a long time till it has grown popular to 

 believe them, and it is quite sufficient for the majority of persons 

 .o follow a popular belief. 



Mr. Mann : — The result of my experience in this, tends to show 

 that ring-barking forest trees materially encourages the growth 

 of other vegetation. Large tracts of country which, previous to 

 undergoing this process, were poor, barren wastes, almost destitute 

 of water, are now well-grassed lands, and water in places rendered 

 permanent or easily obtained. The amount of moisture drawn 

 from the soil by a large tree, to be partly absorbed by the 

 atmosphere by means of the leaves and branches, is something 

 enormous. This is most noticeable in the Illawarra and Coast 

 Districts, where the vegetation is semi-tropical, and extremely 

 dense and succulent. Unfortunately ring-barking has generally 

 been performed in a reckless manner, so that much valuable 

 timber has unnecessarily been destroyed, while no shelter has 

 been retained for the protection of stock. Regarding cyclones I 

 have traced several for many miles by means of the fallen timber 

 which occupied a strip of country of from one to two hundred 

 yards wide. These cyclones are very destructive, and twist the 

 heads off a tree rather than level it. Although the facts given 

 by Mr. Russell show conclusively that forest country exerts no 

 influence over the rain-fall, it is possible, that in crossing an open 

 plain, a cyclone bearing rain-clouds might be diverted from its 

 course by large patches of forest, and so cause a fall of rain at 

 those parts. 1 am under the impression that the erratic seasons 

 we have had during the last few years will be shown to be the 

 result of large islands or fields of ice, which have drifted within 

 the climatic radius of this country. Not having a Gulf Stream 

 to regulate the temperature, we are more susceptible to other 

 influences. 



Hon. G. H. Cox : — All those engaged in agricultural or 

 pastoral pursuits in the country agree that this is a matter of 



