1849.] 



exercised by Trees on OUmate. 



469 



above have come under my own observation, and happened to friendi? 

 in different parts of the country engaged in coffee planting. The 

 first happened in a range of hills south-east of Bangalore, at a coffee 

 plantation nov^^ called Glenmore in the Debenaicottah talook of the 

 Salem district. The proprietor when preparing ground for a coffee 

 garden which was watered by an excellent spring, was warned by 

 the natives not to clear away the trees in the immediate neighbour- 

 liood of his spring, — he disregarded their warning, cut down the 

 trees and lost his stream of v/ater. The other instance happened 

 at the village of Hoolhullv about eig-ht miles distant from the head of 

 the new ghaut in Mungerabad, I wrote to the gentleman to whom 

 it occurred, who answered as follows : '* The cutting down trees and. 

 clearing jungle on the sides of ravines in the close vicinity of springs, 

 undoubtedly has a great effect in diminishing the quantity of water. 

 I found it so in one or two instances in ravines I have cleared for 

 planting — at one place where I had a nursery, which I used to water 

 by turning a water course from the spring, I found that since I clear- 

 ed up the sides of the ravine in which the spring is (for planting), I 

 have not any thing like the quantity of water I had before the shade 

 was cleared. I presume this is to be accounted for by the increased 

 action of air and sun, — at any rate, the natives about here are of that 

 opinion. I leave the cause, however, to be settled b}- more scientific 

 men than myself, — that the effect is so, there is no doubt. A ravine 

 close to the bungalow where there is a spring, a few years ago I clear- 

 ed for planting, and found the water decrease in like manner; but 

 the coffee trees dying away, and the place being too small for a 

 plantation, I did not renew them, but allowed the jungle to grow up 

 again, since which the stream has nearly regained its former size." 



The superintendent of Nuggur writes " that springs of water 

 shaded by trees almost invariably dry up, on the trees being cleared 

 away. This has been observed on the Neilgherry hills and many 

 other woody districts "' In what way trees influence springs it is 

 impossible to say ; that they do so, seems to be established, as also 

 that they condense and attract vapour. 



I cannot omit inserting at length the quotation from White's His- 

 tory of Selborne, part of which is alluded to by Mr. Balfour. " In 

 heavy fogs, on elevated situations especially, trees are perfect alem- 

 bics ; and no one that has not attended to such matterSj can imagine 



