^57 
4-  The  litter  with  the  stumps  and  projecting  roots  and  trunks 
of  trees  prevent  the  water  from  rapidly  running  over  the  ground 
and  from  oraininii  the  momentum  and  force  which  is  necessarv  in 
order  to  erode  and  gully  the  soil. 
If  the  forest  floor  is  not  disturbed  by  fire,  nor  the  litter  trampled 
and  compacted  by  cattle,  it  always  reduces  rapid  surface  drainage 
and  largelv,  if  not  entirely,  prevents  erosive  action. 
Rfxoverv  of  washed  soils. 
Just  as  deforestation  of  hillsides  and  hilltops  is  the  first  cause 
for  inducing  erosive  action,  so  is  reforestation  the  most  effective 
means  in  curing  the  evil.  This  has  been  demonstrated  in  France, 
where  the  Government  and  the  farmers  together  have  spent,  dur- 
ing tlie  last  thirty  years,  over  £40,000^000  and  expect  to  expend 
three  or  four  limes  that  amount  to  reforest  i/)oo,ooo  acres  of 
denuded  mountain  sides,' the  soil  and  debris  from  which  has  been 
carried  hv  the  torrents  of  water  into  the  plain,  covering  over 
8,000,000  acres  of  fertile  ground  and  making  It  useless  for  agricul- 
ture. Sodding  for  jxHSture  has  been  found  mostly  less  effective 
and  on  the  steeper  slopes  entirely  ineffective. 
Whenever  the  ground  in  the  hill  country  is  not  fit  for  agricultural 
use  it  should  be  set  and  kept  in  forest,  not  only  to  make  it  produce 
a timber  crop,  but  also  to  prevent  the  erosion  which  finally  becomes 
dangerous  to  the  lower  valley  lands.  W’herever  agriculture  is  pos- 
sible and  profitable  there  sliould  be  such  a distribution  of  forest, 
pasture,  and  held  as  will  secure  the  greatest  immunitv  from  erosive 
and  torrential  action  of  the  waters.  The  forest  should  occupy  all 
hilltops  which,  as  a rule,  have  too  thin  a soil  to  allow  profitable 
agricultural  use  ; it  should  be  kept  growing  on  the  steeper  slopes 
where  tht‘  water  acquires  the  greatest  momentum  and  the  loosening 
of  the  soil  by  the  plough  furnishes  a most  favourable  condition  for 
erosive  action  ; it  should  be  placed  on  all  rocky,  uneven^  agricul- 
turally useless  spots,  because  it  will  produce  useful  material  even  on 
such  unfavourable  situations,  and,  finally,  forest  belts  should  be 
maintained  on  long  slopes  alternately  with  helds  and  pa.stures,  run- 
ning along  the  brow  of  the  slope  of  widths  and  at  distances  pro- 
portionate to  the  character  of  the  land  and  the  angle  of  the  slope 
on  the  steeper  slopes  closer  together,  on  the  gentler  slopes  further 
apart.  These  belts,  acting  as  a barrier  to  break  the  force  of  the 
water,  will  prevent  an  undue  accumulation  of  surface  waters  and 
will  protect  to  a considerable  degree  the  lower  Held  from  washing. 
Farmers,  therefore,  living  in  the  eroded  hill  countrv  should  start 
upon  the  work  ot  reforestation  with  a well  conceived  plan.  Fhev 
should  determine  beforehand  whi('h  parts  ought  to  be  in  forest,  and 
which  they  may  reasonably  expect  to  adapt  again  to  agricultural 
uses.  'I'hey  should  understand  that  they  must  begin  this  work  at 
the  origin  of  the  evil,  at  the  very  tops  of  the  hills  where  the  water 
b<-gins  to  gather  ami  acquire  its  force,  and  gradually  proceed  with 
their  work  down  to  the  lower  levels. 
