Though the belief that forests increase the rainfall has been given up everywhere, except in Forestry Conventions, there is still a clinging to the belief that they regulate the flow of springs. It would be of great value to hydraulic science if some exact facts and figures could be given - facts collected by men trained in geological observation. Unfortunately, the only "science" that we have in the matter is furnished by "some of the oldest inhabitants" in various places, whose verdant memories tell them that "something has gone wrong since they were boys." It is pitiable to see a government report on American forestry sent forth with such '* facts " and quoted abroad as if it were the work of an intelligent investigation of the facts involved. If we were to take the views of the "oldest inhabitants " on many other questions besides those on forestry, the only wonder would be that the world altogether had not come to an end long ago. Some of the " younger inhabitants " have, however, some tales to tell.

Only " six years ago " an "intelligent " observer at Berlin, New Hampshire, had an " unfailing brook that ran three hundred gallons an hour." Now it is " cut short in summer and in winter by drouth." Another specimen is this : " At Richmond, New Hampshire, in 1865, there was water power for four saw mills all the year. Now the water has wholly disappeared".

Now every one conversant with geology knows that these things are liable to occur anywhere, even in countries that never had a tree at all. The writer knows of a tract of country in which every well went dry last year, and numberless springs failed. But it was not referred to the cutting away of forests, but to a huge railroad which cut off all the supplies from the springs. Now nature herself often does just what this railroad did, opens new avenues under ground for the hidden streams, and turns them away in other directions.

It would be very important to ascertain just what influence forests have on our water supplies, but to give in a government document mere street corner gossip as forest science is putting science in a degrading shape.