WEST VIRGINIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 



21 



many succeeding years, but it would come in every year, and as 

 time went on the yield would increase rather than diminish.*' 



THE INDIRECT VALUE OF FORESTS. 



The forest in its effect upon water supply, upon the charac- 

 ter of soils, and upon climate, and in its relation to animal life, 

 to sanitation and to recreation, is often made secondary to its 

 value as a wood-producer and as a place for employment. In a 

 broad sense, hoY\^ever, its influence may be more valuable than its 

 products. 



The Forest in Its Relation to Water Supply and Distribution. 



Many volumes have been written to show the relation of 

 forests to water supply. The question is a most important one 

 in West Virginia, as it is in all mountainous and hilly regions 

 where the water which falls may become highly useful or highly 

 destructive according to the manner of its distribution within 

 and without the state. 



It is not known that more water falls in the course of a 

 year in the form of rain, snow, and hail, upon forest regions than 

 on the same area after the forests have been removed. Tests 

 which have been made for the purpose of determining this have 

 proven almost nothing. They have failed principally for two" 

 reasons, one that the rain gauges, although placed near together, 

 have often furnished widely differing records due to uneven 

 rainfall, varying winds, etc., and the other that it has been im- 

 possible to select two areas for the tests which were in every 

 way equal except for their covering. It is a common belief 

 among men of wide experience that rain falls more frequently 

 and in greater volume in forest regions than away from them 

 and, until it can be proven otherwise, this belief, which is sup- 

 ported by reason, will not be abandoned. 



But whether rainfall and snowfall are affected by forests 

 or not, it is well known that the distribution of water after it 

 has reached the earth is so affected; and in this all persons are 

 most greatly interested. "We include here under the 6 following 



