Show Plants May Help Stop Erosion Some million acres of crop land lose fertile topsoil through wind and water erosion annually a loss of about 1 billion to the nations nation's nations nation's nations nation's na na- na- na tion's productivity FURTHERMORE much of the soil ends up in rivers and streams accounting for some million tons of sediment sediment sediment sedi sedi- ment a year Removal of sediment from channels harbors harbors harbors har har- bors and reservoirs costs approximately approximately approximately ap ap- ap- ap proximately million a year The systematic planting of trees shrubs vines grass and other ground covers can successfully prevent erosion both in open areas and along the miles of stream and river banks in the United States VEGETATION alone will not hold steep banks in place during heavy rainfall but foliage plants break up the raindrops as they fall softening softening softening soften soften- ing their destructive impact upon the topsoil For prevention of open land erosion plantings along road road- ways can greatly reduce the drifting of soil and dust much muchas as snow fences in the North catch and h hold ld blowing snow A per mile wind has about four times as much power to pick up soil as a per mile wind When its velocity is reduced by half the dust-carrying dust capacity of a mile 40 wind is reduced by 75 percent THE TIlE AMERICAN Association Association Association tion of Nurserymen says plants properly planted can reduce wind velocity by this amount Whereas few people have control over the land where the majority of erosion occurs occurs occurs oc oc- oc- oc curs many individual homeowners homeowners homeowners home home- owners can contribute to preventing preventing preventing pre pre- venting erosion in their own areas On the plains particularly particular particular- ly each yard and each farm needs to have its soil stabilized stabilized stabilized in order that the area as a whole will not be an easy victim to wind erosion A FEW trees planted strategically strategically strategically stra stra- on a lot can be of immense help in ensuring that topsoil will not be lost to neighbors or into nearby bodies of water HORTICULTURISTS are currently experimenting with plants that might be used in strip mining regions to help tie down the soil Because of the high acidity of soil in these areas few plants can thrive This undertaking will have a major side effect of adding greenery and beauty to otherwise desolate areas jj |