SUBDUING THE LAND 139 



the hillsides, and as an aid in making it practical to use 

 irrigating waters. In many of the southern states ter- 

 racing is practiced extensively on the large general fields 

 devoted to cotton, corn and other crops. In many cases 

 where terracing has not been done, the fields are so badly 

 gullied that they are ruined for field crop cultivation. 

 By terracing, the water is conducted gently sidewise and 

 thus carried slowly around the hills and down the slopes, 

 without forming streams which wash out gullies in the 

 easily eroded subsoil. 



