THE HIGH ALPS. 26l 



" By these results the most active resistance has been deadened, and in 

 many localities, where the mere apprehension of works to be undertaken had 

 created the most violent complaints and the keenest opposition, the agents 

 of the Administration are to-day loaded with praise, and those who in the 

 beginning showed the gTeatest hostility, come forward of their own accord 

 to solicit of the Commission the extension or the completement of the 

 works in course of execution. 



" We can certify, and do, that in many communes the evidence of the 

 results obtained has allowed syndicates of dikes to give up their works of 

 defence as being rendered superfluous by the consolidation and gazonne- 

 ment of the grounds in the higher basin of the torrents which they proposed 

 to embank J and we certify what we have ourselves seen, that in the 

 p6rimfetre which we have visited, works undertaken only two years ago have 

 sufficed literally to extinguish completely many ravines, dangerous affluents 

 of the torrent of the Sasset, affluents which were producing the greatest 

 masses of dejections of earth and blocks of stone which were encumbering 

 the bed of the torrent ; we certify, in fine, that in spite of the many terrible 

 storms of rain which this year have desolated our country, and in particular 

 the quarter of Sasset, not a barrage, not a dike, not one of these verdant 

 strips which give to the p6rimfetre, as a whole, the aspect of a smiling 

 parterre, has been cut in upon, and that the growth of the bushes and of 

 the herbaceous plants has attained an unlocked for development. 



" The results, of which we have submitted to you a report, lead us to 

 invite the Council to solicit the immediate publication of decrees of public 

 utility for the p^rimfetres approved at its iirst sederunt. 



" The Commission, penetrated with the greatness of the interest which the 

 whole department has in the continuation and in the development of the 

 works of regazonnement and reboisement, propose to you to vote for this 

 source, as in former years, a subvention of 500 francs." 



Of this region, it was considered originally that, by reason of the extent 

 of the evil, little could be reckoned on proprietors and communes taking 

 the initiative in the work, and that subventions, however extensively they 

 might be distributed, would be altogether inadequate to bring about a 

 restoration of the mountains, from which vegetation had almost entirely 

 disappeared ; but it has been accomplished, and details are given which may 

 enable any one to fill up the outline of the pictm-e which such general 

 statements may suggest of what has been effected. 



Appended to the report cited are numerous monographs on the work 

 done in different p6rimtoes of reboisement in diff'erent parts of France ; and, 

 amongst these, are monographs on what has been done in several p^rimfetres 

 in the High Alps. 



The first of these is on the works executed in the p6rimfetre of Sainte- 

 Marthe, in the valley of the Durance. This valley of the Durance has at 

 all times been deemed one of the most convenient highways between 

 France and Italy. By the valley of the Durance, says Cezanne, passed 

 Hannibal, Caesar, Charlemagne, Charles VIIL, Louis XII., Frangois I., 

 Louis XIII. Victor Am6d6e, Duke of Savoy, invaded and devastated it in 

 1692. Lesdiguiferes, Catinat, Berwick, Vittars, carried on campaigns in the 

 High Alps ; there is not a gorge in the department, nor a pass, w^hich 

 has not become famous as a battle field ; and there the Vaudois and the 

 Protestants formerly fouud refuges iu which they were safe. 



