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plats should be 3 to 4 feet apart to make sufficiently rapid cover. The 

 success of this method is, however, very questionable, as not only the 

 germinating of the seed und^r the prevailing conditions is precarious, 

 but rains are apt to wash out the seed or young seedlings. The 

 surer method, however, will be found in planting seedlings or 

 cuttings. Seedlings are not only expensive but also more precarious 

 to handle, hence for the bulk of the plantation such kinds as can be 

 readily obtained and propagated by cuttings are used, and if desired a 

 sufficient number of seedlings of better kinds can be added to increase 

 the timber value of the plantation. 



The first and principal object being to break the force of the sur- 

 face waters, the arrangement in setting out the plants should be as 

 nearly as possible in horizontal and parallel rows along the brow of 

 the hilh following the contours. To get a full cover as soon as possi- 

 ble the plants should beset not farther apart than 3 to 4 feet and even 

 less, making from 5,000 to 7,000 per acre. If this is found too ex- 

 pensive, or for some reason impracticable to be done at once, the work 

 may be reduced and divided into several seasons ; the rows then may 

 be made farther apart, say from 6 to 16 feet, according to the slope, 

 and the plants in the row 2 feet, when the number will be one-half, 

 or less »••••• 



Whatever is done in such a work of recovering lost ground, let this 

 fact never be forgotten, that it is better to do a small part well than a 

 large part indifferently which usually means lost labour. 



GRASSES AND SIMILAR VEGETATION PREVENT EROSION AND WA8H1NG OF 



AGRICULTURAL LANDS. 



On gentle slopes a good turf of perennial pasture grasses, especially 

 those with creeping rootstocks, prevents erosion, or washing, of lands, 

 and short steep embankments may also be protected with this same 

 covering. On longer and steeper slopes, however, this method is not 

 bo effective as that of reforestation. 



In enumerating the effects to be obtained by the growth of grasses 

 and other herbaceous vegetation on washing lands, or lands liable to 

 be eroded, it should be stated that such growths are calculated to 

 break the force of the rainfall and prevent its packing the soil ; to 

 render the ground more porous through the root penetration into the 

 subsoil ; to make the soil more absorbent and more retentive of mois- 

 ture through the addition of humus to the soil from the decay of the 

 plants ; to retard the rate with which the surface waters flow off, and 

 lastly, to bind the particles of soil together, which is especially effec- 

 tive in the case of light sandy lands and of newly formed embank- 

 ments, whether of sand or clay. 



The turf which would answer the present purposes should be com- 

 posed of perennial grasses of varieties which have creeping rootstocks, 

 and it is frequently essential that they be able to grow upon an im- 

 poverished and often hard soil. To secure a strong turf on lands of 

 this character it is very important that the soil be put into the best 

 possible condition. Where practicable the soil should be thoroughly 

 ploughed or loosened, and some variety of field pea or clover be seeded 

 down, such as the cowpea, well adapted to this purpose. There crops 

 may either be cut off, leaving a high stubble to be turned under, or 



