Method for controlling soil erosion

In a method for making a wind and rain resistant mat comprising the blending of plant fibers with at least 75 pounds per ton of fibers of a water resistant adhesive, consisting essentially of (1) an interpolymer of less than 60 weight percent of an alkenyl aromatic monomer wherein an alkenyl group is attached directly to an aromatic nucleus, at least 40 weight percent of an open chain conjugated diolefin having from 4 to about 9 carbon atoms, and an unsaturated carboxylic acid or anhydride (2) from about 0.5 to 2.5 weight percent based on polymer solids of a water soluble cellulose ether and (3) from about 0.70 to 2.5 weight percent of a water-soluble organo sulfonate having at least one sulfonate group attached to an aromatic ring and represented by the formula:

• R[Ar -- SO.sub.3 ]M
• wherein R is an alkyl chain having from about 8 to 20 carbon atoms, an alkenyl chain having from about 8 to 20 carbon atoms and combinations of said chains with ethoxy chains, phenyl, phenoxy, and alkyl or alkoxy substituted phenyl or phenoxy:
• Ar is phenyl or naphthyl and M is an alkali metal or ammonia;
• distributing the coated fibers randomly into a layer, and drying the adhesive,
• the improvement comprising mixing said cellulose ether with the latex containing from about 2.0 to about 25 weight percent polymer solids and then diluting the composition to the predetermined dilution level of less than about 1.0 weight percent total solids and adding the desired amount of plant fibers.