This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1896 edition. Excerpt: ...(b.) The Regulation of Moisture. (c.) Forest Produce required by the Country. a. Forests in Relation to Climate and Rainfall. The relation between forests and the climate and rainfall of India is of a very peculiar nature. On the one hand, a covering of forest vegetation reduces the temperature of the ...
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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1896 edition. Excerpt: ...(b.) The Regulation of Moisture. (c.) Forest Produce required by the Country. a. Forests in Relation to Climate and Rainfall. The relation between forests and the climate and rainfall of India is of a very peculiar nature. On the one hand, a covering of forest vegetation reduces the temperature of the air and soil, increases the relative humidity, and tends to increase precipitation, while on the other hand the exceptionally high temperature which prevails in spring and early summer over the centre of the Indian peninsula is one of the main agencies which bring about the summer monsoon rains, on which the welfare of India depends. In other words, extensive afforestation might increase the quantity of locally formed clouds and produce local precipitations, but it might also weaken the force of the south-west monsoon winds and consequently the accompanying rainfall. It is perhaps difficult to say what the ultimate effect of a general afforestation might be, but it may reasonably be assumed that the effects of forests, however extensive, are not likely to produce a quantity of rain, which would make up for any weakening of the south-west monsoon. As a matter of fact, however, more than half the area of Madras, Bombay, the North-Western Provinces and Bengal is under cultiva VOl. I. L tion, and a considerable additional area has been appropriated as grazing grounds, so that not more than onefourth could remain under forest, an area, which may be sufficient to moderate the temperature locally, but which is not likely to interfere with the advent of the annual south-west monsoon. The latter must for ever be the main source of moisture in India. Apart, however, from these theoretical speculations, it has yet to be proved, whether afforestation in...
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