general surface shows less evidence of rapid erosion than the 

 plateau region of north Mississippi. This may be accounted for 

 in two ways: i. The Loess is highly calcareous, and for this 

 reason possesses greater coherence than we would expect in a 

 similar material without a lime cement. 2. The whole Bluff re- 

 gidn is thickly carpeted with Bermuda grass, whose roots and 

 underground stems protect the surface against rapid erosion. 



The prairie regions of the State, as a whole, present little evi- 

 dence of washing. 



In the Delta we find least evidence of surface erosion because 

 of the almost absence of slopes, which are necessary to develop 

 erosive violence in the run off of the surface water. An entirely 

 different principle is involved in the undercutting of streams, 

 which is not considered here. 



Resulting Damage What are the damages resulting from 

 surface erosion? They are numerous, a few of which will be 

 noticed here. 



1. Loss of fertility of soil, as before stated. The working of 

 the land becomes unprofitable and its abandonment follows. There 

 is here an evident lack of adaptability on the part of our farm- 

 ers. They seem to have failed to realize that land unfit for cer- 

 tain uses may be very profitable for other uses. 



2. Quick upon the heels of abandonment comes the cutting 

 up of the surface into gullies and eventually into the unsightiv 

 "bad lands," especially in a region of sandy soils and decided 

 slopes. 



3. In many cases the washing from the hills destroys the 

 fertility of the smaller bottoms by spreading over them sand in 

 layers, the thickness of which tends to increase from year to 

 year. This is not an imaginary result, but is actually taking place 

 in some of the northern counties of the state. 



4. Loss of underground water results. This result is not so 

 remote as might at first appear, and ere long these effects will be 

 felt. Many springs that existed disappear, bold, strong springs 



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