The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1911-02-09

u tpEnia On Ee pre- Ted n the
sdgieet feaFe eftiile doe the
results q expefk aeld itke iation
The purpose Of Prot Glennisl
study was 70 note Tie extent and the
effects, and 9 far as possible the
cause, OF erosion in the region ex-l
amined ana 70 determine the means
Of preventing the widespread evil re-
suits otunwise agriculture and lum-
bering, Accordingly he travelled
from stream valley TO stream valley
through the southern mountains,
noting and recording with great ex-
actness hillside and mountain side
wash and wear, SOIL removal by
outlying and soil burial by over
wash, stream clogging and stream
overflow. the filing OF mill ponds
and the wrecEing of dams and
bridges, and numerous other evils
that are attributed my many OBJ
services in large part, to reckless de-
forestation and injudicious attempts
to cultivate slopes that are not
adapted to agriculture.
Prof Glenn's studies include parts
OF eight states-PennsylvanIa,, vir-
ginla, Yves: Virginia, North Caro-
Ina, South Carolina, Georgia, Ten
nessee and Alabama. In the course
of the study 1t was noted that steep
slopes formed of certain rocks could
lbe safely cultivated, but that others,
no sleeper, composed of other, diff
Iferent rocks were cultivated with
disastrous results. Observations
were made of countless gaping
chasms started in steep hillsides by
the drag of logs "snased" down
from tlmbet hilltops-chasms that
cave and throw down timber and
cause the wash OF masses of gravel
and eobblestones over fertile valley
lands below. Bars and shadows
formed in navigable streams by
sand and gravel loosened far up
stream by agricultural and forestry
malpractice were noted at hundreds
OF places and are specifically mem
toned in the report.
According to Prof. Glenn the prob
lens thus studied geologically must
find their solution in methods that
relate largely to forestry and to ag-
rlculture. The agricultural problem
involves the selection of the areas
best suited for agriculture because
of fertility and character of soil and
moderate slope of surface and the
study of the ways in which such
areas may best be handled to pre-
vent their own destruction through
erosion, as we'll as the destruction
of other lands and property by the
waste material they deposit and the
floods they help to generate.
Much of the area is not properly
agricultural land and should not be
cleared and forced into agricultural
use, because that forcing means
quick destruction both of the area!
itself and of the lower-lying areas
on the same streamways. Such
misuse means also slower but none
the less sure interference with nav
igation on the more remote parts of
the major stream systems.
The forester would protect steep
slopes by keeping them clothed with
timber. coax back tree growh on
denuded areas, keep down forest
fires, protect and perpetuate the
supply OF hard wood, protect the
game and fish, and enhance the
beauty and the charm of the region
as a health and pleasure resort, as|
well as prevent the navigable
streams that flow from these noun
tains from filling up with the sand
and silt whose removal is now cost
ing annually large sums OF money.
Prof. Glenn gives also an account
of study made in the basin OF the
Monongahela river in Wess Virginia
and Pennsylvania soon after the
great food of March, 1907, which
destroyed millions of dollars worth
of property.
The report is published as Pro-
fess!onal Paper 70 OF the United
States Geological Survey. and can
tbe had free by applying to the Dl-
rector of the Survey at Washington.
1t consists of 1888 pages and is IL
Illustrated by maps and half-tone
plates.
~ M aFuR6I PPIPIn 81