302 DEVASTATIONS AND RBSTOBATIONS. 



in the course of November, the snow invades the p^rimfetres, and does not 

 disappear in general till the end of April, or in the course of May. From 

 the time that the soil is thus made accessible to atmospheric agencies, 

 vegetation takes on the character of activity which is peculiar to 

 mountainous regions. Let seeds of good quality be then sown, they will 

 spring up speedily, satisfactorily, and in such a way as to give rise to the 

 greatest expectations. But then comes a hot and dry summer (and this is 

 what is generally the case in the valley of Barfeges) ; the vegetable layer 

 of soil, wanting compactness and depth, dries up under the action of the 

 solar rays; the young rootlets which creep along near the surface of the soil 

 infallibly perish ; and it may happen that, with the exception that in streaks 

 of deeper earth in which moisture has been retained, before the end of 

 autumn there remains scarcely a trace of sowings executed with all 

 imaginable care. To this the oak is an exception, but it is such an excep- 

 tion as may be said to confirm the rule, as -it is known to every one that 

 the acorn committed to the earth developes its radicle in the form of a long 

 taproot, which buries itself to a sufficient ■ depth in the soil, not to be 

 aftected by drought to the same degree as young resinous trees. 



" To the instruction yielded by past years may be superadded that 

 yielded still, every day ; for the work of reboisement is being now carried on 

 in the p6rimfetre of Sers and Betpouey, contiguous to that of Bareges. 

 There also, some partial losses, now repaired, have taught the agents the 

 best course to follow in order that from this time forward it may be easy to 

 complete, with certain prospects of success, those portions of the p^rimfetre 

 of Bareges which are still in the state of gaps in the work. 



" The rules proved by experience to be necessary to follow are these : — 



" 1. — Excepting for the oak, to give the preference to planting, and only 

 to sow in exceptional circumstances. 



" 2. — To give up planting or sowing in spring, the season being too far 

 advanced before the p6rimfetres become accessible. 



" 3. — In the more elevated parts, to prefer the Mugho or dwarf pine to 

 all other trees. It can withstand much — it developes itself slowly but 

 surely — while the heat of the summer causes the Norway pine to perish ; 

 as for the larches, generally long and slender, the weight of the snow lays 

 them and deforms them. In lower-lying parts, to mingle the Mugho with 

 the Austrian pine, and with the Scotch fir to the south. In fine, to employ 

 the oak at the base of the p6rim6tre of Lacgrand. 



" 4. — To employ as much as possible trees of only three years' growth, or 

 even of two years' age ; at a greater age their taking root is very uncertain. 



" 5. — In fine, so to arrange always that the plants, taken from the 

 central nursery at Luz, shall all be planted within forty-eight hours at most 

 after their extraction. This precaution is essential in gorges where prevail, 

 especially in autumn, south winds, the efFects of which are hurtful to the 

 young, plants. 



" By proceeding thus the plantations already created will be completed 

 without fail. This will now be done if it do not prove needful before all 

 to push on actively the works of Sers and Betpouey, in suoii a way as to 

 counteract the attempts made to put a stop to the execution of them. 



" The question may be raised, wlicu once the reboisement of Bareges shall 

 have been happily completed, may we reckon for the future on a fine stock 

 of trees 1 This question it would be rash to answer definitely at present. It 

 may legitimately be doubted whether at such altitudes vegetation will ever 



