14 BULLETIN 180, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
question of the better orchard practice is still a mooted one. Such use 
for hilly lands is described by Smith x and by Seymour. 2 
CHECKING EROSION. 
In places where erosion has begun, but has not advanced beyond 
the formation of small washes, it may be checked by filling these 
incipient gullies with brush, straw, or leaves. Contour plowing 
across such places is necessary under clean culture to prevent washing. 
Any field which is steep enough for the development of gullies should 
be terraced. 
A method which has been used, so far as known, in only one 
locality is the construction of "Christophers." (See fig. 1.) This 
consists of building across the mouth of the incipient gully a dam 
of earth or stone to hold back the surface run off and keep it 
on the field. The distinctive thing is the way in which the storm 
waters are disposed of. Passing through the dam is a sewer pipe 
connected with an upright pipe on the upper side of the dam. The 
water fills the valley until it reaches the height of the upright pipe, 
when it flows through this into the next field. The water left stand- 
Fig. 1.— A "Christopher" with tile drain connection. 
ing below the mouth of the upright pipe is removed gradually by a 
tile drain laid along the valley and connected to the sewer pipe. 
Rushing water is checked in the valley and deposits its burden of 
sediment; the water is removed largely by seepage into the tile drain 
and the ground remains in good condition for tillage. 
This method is too expensive for ordinary use, but in cases where 
it is necessary to use tile drains and the soil washes badly, this is an 
excellent means of preventing the wash. This method was developed 
by Mr. John Adams, of Johnson County, Mo., and has been adopted 
by a number of farmers in that locality. Figure 1 shows the construc- 
tion of the "christopher." 
RECLAMATION OF ERODED LAND. 
In the reclamation of eroded land it is necessary to make use of 
all the methods employed in prevention and to make every effort 
to stop the advance of the gullies into new lands, and even greater 
i Smith, J. Russell, Plow and Poverty, Sat. Evening Post, 182, p. 14 (1909); Apples without Plowing, 
Country Gentleman 79, 778 (1914). 
2 Seymour, E. L. D., The Fruitful Land, Country Life in Amer., July, 1913. 
