ao I'LEMltNTARY FORliSTRY. sul)ject, 1 (|Uolc the following cxli-acl on fnrcst iiillucncL-s from the report of the Forestry Di\ision of the U. S. Department of A^ricnlture for 18S9, witli a fe\v changes in tfie nature of abbreviations:"Tile water capital of the earth may be regarded as consisting of two parts, the fixed capital and the circulating capital.The first is represented not only in the waters on the earth but also by that amount of water which remains suspended in the atmosphere, being part of the original atmospheric water-masses which, after the rest had fallen to the cooled earth, remained in suspension and is never precipitated.'S2 ELEMENTARY FORESI'RV. and this factor, being under the control ol human agency more tlian any other possible modifier of climate, must therefore be of greatest interest to us.It is clear, from what has been stated so far, that the influences of the forest, if any, will be due mainly to its action as a cover protectin.g the soil and air against insolation and against winds. That the nature of a cover, its density, thickness, and its proper position has everything to do with the amount of protection it affords, everybody will admit. A mosquito net is a cover, so is a linen sheet or a woolen blanket, yet the protection they afford is different in degree and may become practically none. It will also be conceded that it makes a great dilTcrcnce whether the cover be placed before or behind the wind. Just so with the influence of the forest; it makes all the difference whether we have to do with a deciduous or coniferous, a dense or an open, a young low or an old high growth, and what position it occupies with reference to other climatic elements, especially to prevailing winds and water surfaces. In the following discussions, when the word forest is used, unless dift'ercntly stated, a dense .growth of timber is meant.
ELEMENTS OF DISSIPATION.33 our forests will come a much more rigorous climate and a decrease in rainfall.But the records of the weather bureau do not show that there is any connection between the two or that there has been any apparent change in the general climate or amount of rainfall due to the removal of our forests. The flow of water in most of our rivers, and in many cases the flow of water from springs, and the height of the water table in the land, have been most seriously affected by the removal of our forests and should be regarded as the ways by which our water supply is to suffer most severely from deforestation.] DISPOSAL OF WATER SUPPLIES."Given a certain amount of precipitation in rain or snow over a certain area, the disposal of the water after it has fallen, and the influence of the forest cover on its disposal, require our attention.For the sake of convenience we can divide the elements which need consideration in this discussion into elements of dissipation, elements of conservation, elements of distribution.''The difterence in effect between the first two classes of elements will give us an idea of the amount of available water supply or ...