CONTOUR MAPS 155 



to them generally run approximately parallel to the hill ranges, 

 and may be called longitudinal valleys, and one of their most 

 common characters is that one side of them is usually steeper than 

 the other. Their rate of fall per mile, or gradient, is also usually 

 less than that of transverse streams, for a reason which will become 

 apparent later. Several excellent examples will be seen in 

 Figs. 44 and 48. 



Many exercises, in addition to the section drawing already 

 advocated, suggest themselves with a view of teaching students 

 how to get out of a map the chief part of the information conveyed 

 by it. Routes should be worked out for direction, directness, and 

 slope, from place to place, the routes being suitable for walking, 

 bicycling, or driving. Gradients of water-courses and the shapes 

 of their cross section at different points should be worked out. 

 The run of the roads and railways in relation to the principal 

 physical features can be made out ; and suggestions might be 

 invited and worked out for new ones, their gradients and curves 

 being taken from those already shown on the map. The situation 

 of towns and villages should be noted in their relation to slope, 

 aspect, waterways, gaps through hills, highways, bridges, road 

 or railway junctions. The distribution of farms, woods, parks, 

 marshes, and moorland, should be observed, in order to see whether 

 the map gives any suggestions as to the reason for these things. 



A map enables one to tell whether any one point is visible from 

 any other, or if it is eclipsed by some near or distant natural object. 

 Carrying out this idea further, it will be possible to sketch the 

 view from any point, to put in the rough outline of the hills as 

 observed, their relative position, and the extent to which one 

 is hidden from sight by a nearer one. Whenever possible, testing 

 and verification should be carried out on the ground itself, thus 

 adding a new zest to the work and giving it a reality which could 

 not otherwise be attained. At the same time, the students' minds 

 will become stored with a stock of knowledge as to the actual 

 appearance of the geography and topography. 



It is a very valuable exercise, though unfortunately it takes up 

 a great deal of time, to construct a sheet model of part of the 

 country by either tracing the contours on paper or pasting a 

 series of maps on cardboard and then cutting one along each 



