FIGHTING GULLY EROSION 



287 



with astonishing rapidity, and soon outgrow the fields 

 where they started, invading adjacent territory. An ac- 

 companying photograph shows a main public road re- 

 treating before the advance of a large gully. Many of 

 the present larger gullies no doubt started during the 

 ''trouble in the sixties," continuing afterward when 

 there was neither money nor labor for improvement. 

 Prior to that time for about ten years under the leader- 

 ship of several public spirited Tennesseeans, the people 

 began to study out and apply the best methods of "pre- 

 venting their lands from running away." 5 



The planting of trees and grasses has proven a very 

 practical and effective means of stopping gullies. Black 

 locust, yellow poplar, ash, red oak, black walnut, catalpa, 

 cottonwood, and other trees, also bermuda grass, when 

 started on "made land" in gullies, all thrive under the 



PLANTING NECESSARY HERE 



This farm gully was planted with 12-inch black locust seedlings 

 at the rate of about 1,200 per acre, and within a year they had 

 grown to a height of 4 feet. In seven years the gully slope was 

 completely reclaimed by the black locust trees. 



protection afforded. Preparatory steps to planting 

 consist of constructing compact brush dams across 

 narrow places in the gully, thus securing "made land," 

 and in grading down by hand or team sufficient 

 loose soil to enable the young sapling to secure a foothold. 

 Many of the woodlots in the region have been reduced to 

 cull trees only, and since they exist on good agricultural 

 land are more than likely to be cleared. The best policy for 

 the future would be to convert the larger gullies into 

 farm woodlots by the methods suggested, serving the 

 double purpose of checking further destruction of land 

 and growing a supply of farm timber on the least valuable 

 part of the farm. 



APPROACHING THE HOME 



At the present rate of progress made by this gully, the home buildings 

 of the owner of the farm will be engulfed within a few years. 



ENGULFING A COUNTRY ROAD 



An expensive gully which year by year approached a country road 

 which has several times had to retreat before it and now runs in 

 almost a half-circle around it. 



"Bulletin, University of Tennessee Agricultural Experiment Station, vol. 8, No. 3, page 107. 



