192 FOREST PLAXTIXO. 



The Regulation of the Mountain Waters. 



It will be remembered that, as a principal requirement 

 for tree-growing in mountains, we have before stated 

 the necessity of procuring and retaining a certain quan- 

 tity of moisture in the soil. This requirement is the 

 more urgent as the steep inclination of the slopes makes 

 the rain and snow waters run swiftly over the surface 

 without offering them many chances to enter the soil 

 and to percolate it. On the other hand, we see how de- 

 structive the waters become if they pour, unchecked, 

 over the slopes, carrying with them vast quantities of 

 earthy components which increase the grinding power 

 of the current, wash the soil from the mountains, and 

 leave bare and sterile rocks behind them. It is in such 

 cases that man's helping hand has to enter the field and 

 to break the steepness of the slopes, the cause of the 

 rapid ruch and destructive power of the waters. 



A. Regulation of Rain and Snow Water on Mountain 

 Slopes. 



To break the steepness of the slopes, there have to be 

 dug, horizontally running-trenches or ditches of proper 

 depth and width at appropriate distances, commencing 

 as near to the top as is deemed necessary to catch up the 

 waters, making them temporarily stagnant and letting 

 the excess equally flow over the ridge to lower-situated 

 ditches, where the same effects are obtained. This work 

 will be done or, at least, facilitated by a proper sidehill 

 plowing. According to the greater or less steepness 

 of the slope, there have to be made furrows about one 

 foot wide and deep, from six to seven feet apart; or 

 deeper and wider trenches, two feet by eighteen inches, 

 from twelve to fourteen feet apart. The soil taken out 

 of the furrows or trenches is deposited right along the 



