76 AGRICULTURE 



its entire length in the form of a very thin sheet. Water 

 moving in a very thin sheet meets with so much friction 

 from the ground that it has to move slowly and therefore 

 tannot exert much force to tear away particles of soil. 



From FletcKer's " Soils." Doubleday, Page & Co 



FIG. 50. SHOWING WASHES STARTED BY RUNNING Rows STRAIGHT 

 UP THE HILL 



How a terrace is made. By means of either a terracing 

 level* or a home-made terracing triangle (Fig. 51), a curving 

 line is marked out near the top of the hillside by placing 

 stakes at intervals of about ten steps, all of the stakes being 

 on the same level. In the same way stake the next terrace 

 line at a vertical distance of three feet lower down the hill 

 on gentle slopes, or five feet lower on very steep slopes. 

 Repeat the operation until all the terraces are staked out. 

 Now mark each line of stakes by means of a furrow, not 

 passing exactly under the stakes but very near them, try- 

 ing to make the curves in the terrace as slight and gradual 



