256 bEVASTATIONS OCCASIONED &Y TORRENTS, 



■ / 



appropriate, and the annotations of the Administration on the opiuions 

 expressed, have been given (ante pp. 177-207). 



In the report of operations in 1865-66, it is stated that the kinds of trees 

 most extensively diffused in the region of the Alps — including the Isfere, 

 the High Alps, the Lower Alps, and the Dr6me — in the order of most 

 importance, were the Austrian pine, the Scotch fir, the Norway fir, the 

 larch, the oak, the Oorsican pine, the alder, the ash, the silver fir, and the 

 Mugho, or dwarf pine. And in this region much use has been made of 

 suckers and twig^ of willows and poplars and of herbaceous plants. 



In the Pyrenees — including the Eastern Pyrenees, the High Pyrenees, 

 the Lower Pyrenees, Aude, and Ariege — the kinds of trees most common 

 were the Scotch fir, thp Mugho, the Austrian pine, the larch, the chestnut, 

 the maritime pine, the oak, and the acacia. And in the region of the 

 C^vennes, and the central plateau — including Ardfeche, Grand Lozfere, 

 H6rault, Puy-de-D6me, Cantal, and High Loire — there were employed 

 principally the Austrian pine, the Scotch fir, the Norway fir, the oak, the 

 maritime pine, the Aleppo pine, and the ailanthus. 



It is then stated generally that, in the selection of trees, the maple, the 

 acacia, and the filbert, were preferred for unstable ground, on account of 

 their rapid growth and their roots sending forth numerous suckers. The 

 oak and the walnut were reserved for strong, dry, solid grounds ; while in 

 the moist depths of the ravines the alder, the poplar, the ash, the osier, the 

 white willow of the Alps, (fee, were made use of. 



These are, in some soils, preferred to the coniferae, in view of the object 

 aimed at ; and some other trees have been employed experimentally. But 

 a preference or prejudice has been expressed in favour of indigenous trees. 



Amongst the bushes cultivated may be mentioned the black thorn, the 

 bramble, the myrtle, the juniper, the hippophoi, and above all the barberry. 

 This last, by virtue of its strong root, was formerly spread over the 

 country from the valley to the mountain summits, but the root being in 

 demand as a dye, this led to reckless destruction of it, and it had almost 

 entirely disappeared. 



Amongst the herbs employed are the sainfoin, the lucerne, and the 

 restharrow, a plant indigenous to the combes, which may be seen suspended 

 over the edge of the precipice, the crumbling crust of which it holds and 

 retains as with the grip of despair. 



In regard to most of the trees, of which mention has been made as used 

 in the work of reboisement, much information may be found in almost any 

 English work on Arboriculture, Forests, or Forest Trees. But when I was 

 engaged in the study of this subject I failed to obtain the kind of informa- 

 tion I required, to enable me to learn for myself, and to give to others, 

 counsel, in regard to measures to be adopted in carrying out works of such 

 magnitude as would be requisite in some of our colonies, if it were 

 attempted to prevent by sylviculture the devastating effects and conse- 

 quences from torrents, and from inundations from which occasionally they 

 suffer. This information is to be had at command in . France. In a work 

 entitled " Gours elementaire de culture des Bois cree a I'Ecole Forestiere de 

 Nancy, par M. LorenU, Directeur-Fo7idateur de cette ecole, ancie7i Admini- 

 strateur des Forks, Oficier de la Legion d'lionneur, Memhre Correspondent de 

 la Societe Imperiale d' Agriculture, <&';., complete et public par A. Parade, 

 Conservateur des Forets, Directeur de I'Ecole Imperiale Forestiere. Ginquieme 

 Edition, publics par A, Lorentm et H. Nanquette, avec une preface par L, 



