66 UTBEATURE OH TORBENTS, 



to issue a new edition. But from this he shrank. The state of things 

 depicted by him had, to a great extent, ceased to be, his suggestions had 

 been carried into effect, and a new state of things had come into being. 

 But he was relieved of embarrassment by his comrade and friend, 

 M. C6zanne, agreeing to prepare a supplemental volume, and the two were 

 published conjointly,— the first volume, the iHmde of M. Surell, in 1870, 

 and the Supplement, by M. Cezanne, in 1872. 



The subjects of M. Surell's study were chiefly these,— the phenomena of 

 torrents and effects produced by them ; the causes of their occurrence ; 

 means of defence which had been employed to protect the land and its 

 inhabitants against their ravages ; and measures which were more likely to 

 prove efiScient if they should be employed, which measures were plantations 

 of trees, and herbage, and bush, over the area drained by them, combined 

 with the erection, in subordination to this, of barrages, or wears, to control 

 and regulate the flow, where this may be practicable and desirable. 



Previously to the publication of the original edition — but at what date I 

 know not — there had been published a Memoire sur I'etat des forets dans 

 les Sautes Alpes, les causes de cet etat, ses resultats et les moyens d'y 

 remedier, by M. Delafont. Of this M. Surell writes, — " All the causes of 

 the destruction and disappearance of forests are thoroughly and carefully 

 expounded in a memoir by M. Delafont, inspecteur des eaux et forets — a 

 memoir full of well-intentioned and wise statements, which only calls forth 

 regret that it did not inspire the Adminstration with enlarged and bold 

 views, which alone would be commensurate with the evil ; for great evils 

 call for great remedies." 



" The sad results which I am about to point out," says M. Delafont, " are 

 deplorable on all hands. All men who have not been blinded by ignorance, 

 or whose heart has not been withered up by selfishness, give expression to 

 the thought that it is high time to stop the progress, ever increasing, of so 

 fearful a devastation. They lament over the evils without number 

 which are occasioned by the deforesting of the mountains, and seem to call 

 us to the protection of our forest wealth. These reflections, these prayers, I 

 have often myself heard uttered with an energy which is inspired by the 

 profound conviction of the existence of a great evil, and of the imperious 

 necessity which there is to stop its course. Let us listen to the cries of 

 distress of a population alarmed by the future before it." 



And M. Surell refers to this, and other statements by M. Delafont cited 

 by him, as supplying evidence that he had himself in no way exaggerated 

 the evil in what he said in his Mude sur les Torrents. 



While the work of M. Surell's was passing through the press, he received 

 a copy of a Memoire sur la digradation des forets dans les arrondissements 

 d'Bmhnm, et de Briangon, which the inspector of forests, in these two 

 arrondissements, M. Jousse de Fontani^re, had shortly before addressed to 

 the Administration. Of this he says, — " This work — prepared by a man 

 most competent for the work, and devoted to his duties, who, after having 

 struggled for a long time against the innumerable difficxilties of his service, 

 Bucoumbing under the trial, took measures at last to demand aid — should 

 have had the effect of securing the attention of the State to the frightful 

 future to be anticipated in this department." 



Aud be cites the following as a specimen of the out-spokeu faithfulness of 



