16 LIFE ON THE FARM. 



adjoining field. There is not so much loss, though, 

 if nothing more disturbs it; but when nothing hin- 

 ders, and the swiftly-flowing torrent carries it into 

 the rivers, and thence to the sea, then the loss, so 

 far as the present is concerned, is complete. Those 

 having hilly or rolling land should cultivate it 

 so as to prevent washing away as much as pos- 

 sible. 



Stems, roots, branches, and leaves of plants, 

 especially the roots, help to hold the soil against 

 the erosive action of water. Grass is especially 

 good on ordinary ground, and trees for steep hills. 

 All hills that wash away so much that they become 

 barren in most places, should be planted with trees 

 so as to stop the wearing. The trees would also be 

 a great benefit in many other ways besides their 

 value as timber (which would result after a number 

 of years). Soil which unavoidably washes from 

 cultivated fields can be caught and held on the 

 lower ground by keeping the lower ground planted 

 in grass of some kind. This not only tends to level 

 up the hilly fields, but the soil thus made is of the 

 best quality, being deep, rich, and in many cases 

 almost inexhaustible. The writer has just visited 

 a large field which is covered with a layer of soil, 

 averaging about two feet in depth, washed down 

 from the higher land above it. The crops of 

 wheat, oats, clover, and corn now growing on it 

 surpass those of any of the adjoining fields. 



