228 WESTERN GRAZING GROUNDS AND FOREST RANGES 



Range Erosion. The trails that the cattle made lead- 

 ing into the watering-places or the sheep dragging 

 along one after another, on the ranges, furnished con- 

 venient passages for the water to follow. Little trails 

 where the stock had worn out the grass to the bare 

 ground soon became deeper.. The erosion left the bot- 

 tom full of small pebbles which hurt the feet of the 

 stock. They started a new trail just alongside the old 



"Down These Trails the Water Finally Tore." 



one and thus the process was repeated until one can 

 see on many western ranges a score of such trails side 

 by side, stretching for miles across the prairie towards 

 watering-places. 



Down these trails the water first crept, then ran and 

 finally tore, digging down deep into the ground until 

 great washes were formed. Little trails leading into 



