AND PEEVENTIYB MEASURES. 267 



Tassy, 1867" there is abundance of such information, which I purpose 

 embodying in a separate volume on Forest Science and its practical 

 application in the forest economy of France. 



Chap. V. — Devastations and Restoeations. 



There are still extant forests of great extent on the mountains of France, 

 but there have been extensive clearings. And while we picture to 

 ourselves mountains begirt with forests, it is expedient with the object we 

 have in view to introduce into the picture such scenes as have been 

 described in the Introduction, as presented by Devoluy, by the vicinity of 

 Embrun, and by the valley descending from the col Isoard, and others 

 which have been given of the ravages and devastations wrought by the 

 torrents which owe their birth to the clearings which have been made in 

 these ancient forests. Elsewhere it is the same ; and the study of this will 

 show what evils have resulted from what may be considered but partial 

 clearings. 



M. Cezanne follows up a lengthened lucid and instructive exposition 

 with the statement, — " These long explications which have been given can 

 give but a very inadequate and incomplete idea of the treatment applied 

 to torrents ; on the other hand, it suffices to visit any one of the 

 p6rimfetres, and cast a glance over the whole, to receive a convincing 

 demonstration of what is being done, and to be imbued with absolute 

 confidence in the efficacy of the cure. If then the Administration of 

 Forests desires to form at any time a special service for the artificial 

 extinction of torrents, the best measure to take would be to send their 

 agents on a mission into the High Alps, as L'Mcole des Fonts et ChaussSea 

 send their students to visit the works in course of execution." 



I am aware of the importance of this suggestion, and I would make the 

 same to those whom I desire to raove to the adoption of like measures. 

 Meanwhile, without detriment to this suggestion, I can produce statements 

 innumerable, and of unquestionable authority, descriptive of what was, 

 within the last twenty years, the condition of various localities, and what 

 is the condition into which they had been brought by reboisement and 

 ffazonnement, and barrages, at the time when operations were interrupted 

 by war. 



To students of Forest Science, information embodied in the official 

 documents, of which translations have been given, may suffice to enable 

 them to form a definite idea of what has been done, and enable them, 

 perhaps, by a vivid fancy, to reproduce the past, to picture the present, 

 and to imagine what the future is likely to be ; but others may prefer being 

 supplied with less formal and more detailed information — and such is at 

 command. 



Sect. I. — The High Alps. 



The state of desolation to which this region had been brought has been 

 again and again brought under notice ; but other details are not awanting. 



Of that desolation some idea may be formed from the following account of 

 the vicinity of Embrun, given by Surell, — " In going from Gass towards 

 Embrun, following the highway numbered 94, more than a fourth of the 

 ioumey is made on the beds of torrents. They are seen scattered over the 



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