fruits are being tried out with high promise of the most valuable results.
|
Fig. 118.—Granite hill destitute of soil, rapidly falling into decay. Reforestation
area, Tsingtao, Sthantung.
It was in the steep hills about Tsingtao that we first
saw at close range serious soil erosion in China; and the
returning of forest growth on hills nearly devoid of soil
was here remarkable, in view of the long dry seasons which
prevail from November to June, and Fig. 118 shows how
destitute of soil the crests of granite hills may become and
yet how the coming back of the forest growth may hasten
as soon as it is no longer cut away. The rock going into
decay, where this view was taken, is an extremely coarse
crystalline granite, as may be seen in contrast with the
watch, and it is falling into decay at a marvelous rate.
