FALLEN RAIN. 73 



water of the San (xabriel River was so largely taken 

 out for irrigation it was rapidly cutting away the 

 fertile land on either side of its shifting bed, and it 

 seemed likely that serious loss of property- would fol- 

 low. This is the direct result of lire and grazing in 

 the mountains. 



The pasturage of sheep in the Alps of southern France 

 was the chief cause of the destructive torrents with 

 which the French Government has been struggling for 

 many years. The direct loss to the French people has 

 been enormous, and in addition the work of correc- 

 tion alone has cost upward of ^35,000,000. Although 

 wonderfullv successful hitherto, it is still far from 

 finished. 



