308 ' DEVASTATIONS AND BESTORATIONB. 



" The highest altitudes are of 934 and 1022 mfetres, in the commune of 

 LespinasBi6re ; and the lowest, of 413 and 754 mfetres, in the commune of 

 Caunes. 



" The climate is dry and hot, the valley being a southern rent of the 

 Montagne-Noire. In general, there is no rain in summer, but when 

 storms of rain come. When these are violent, the havock caused by the 

 I'Argent-Double is considerable. Sometimes there is no rain for many 

 months, and aU vegetation is stopped in its growth, if it be not altogether 

 destroyed. 



" This has been the case in 1869, in which there has not been a rain-fall 

 in storms of rain, or otherwise, penetrating the cultivated soil to more than 

 three centimfetres, or an inch and a quarter, since the month of April. This 

 long continued drought has given a terrible blow to the replanting of years 

 preceding, and is being hurtful also to the works of the autumn of 1869, 

 for it does not allow of the works being carried on economically, nor of 

 planting being employed there when this mode of operation is admissible. 



"The prolongation of these droughts in summer, and the severity of the 

 frosts in winter, cause that in this p6rimfetre sowings be practised generally, 

 and plantings only exceptionally. 



" The soil is very variable. At the highest summits of the mountain in 

 the communes of Citou and Lespinassifere, it consists almost entirely of 

 micaceous schists, easily disintegrated, and still more easily flooded into 

 ravines ; the earthy residua of this kind of rock are dry and much under 

 the influence of the smallest thread of water. As fast as the ravines thus 

 created go on lengthening, the carrying ofi'the hills goes on extending 

 with rapidity, and earth, stones, and every thing are swept away into the 

 tide of the principal streams, and often thrown out upon the cultivated 

 grounds situated on their borders. 



" In one part of the territory of Citou, and in the greater part of that of 

 Caunes, the soil is argillaceous-limestone, or calcareous clay of little depth, 

 tufted with innumerable calcarious shelves. There the floods have scarcely 

 any debris to sweep away : the work of destruction has been almost com- 

 pleted. 



" This p6rimfetre comprises private lands, communal lands, and dominal 

 lands. These have been derived from the old Benedictine convent of 

 Caunes, and amount to 420 hectares, 306 hectares 76 ares of which obly 

 are comprised in the p^rimfetre. 



" The division of the lands, according to proprietorship, may be summed 

 up thus ; — 



C Dominal lands, 306h. 76a. 



"Caunes, .... <^ Communal do., 178h. 06a. 



( Private do., 371h. 14a. 



" Citou i Communal lands, 360h. 89a. 



' ■ ■ ' ■ 1 Private do., 783h. 88a. 



"Lespinassifere, . . / Communal lands, 657h. 03a. 



^ ' I Private do., 184h. 26a. 



Total, .... 2842H. 02a. 

 " Beboisemeni has been carried out only on the lands belonging to th e 

 State and to communes. The commune of Lespinassi&re erected the works 

 by aid of a subvention of 60 per cent, guaranteed bv the State ; the two 

 other communes have left the expense of the execution of the work to be 

 met entirely by the State. 



