Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1888-09-01
FIRST ANNUAL REPORT
OF the Commissioner of Forestry.

received OLA applications for trees from
the following-named counties in the
state:
Anderson, Barton, Brown, Butler,
Cheyenne, Clay, Cloud, Cowley, Conan
che, Coffey, Chautauqua, Crawford,
Dickinson, Davis, Ellsworth, Ellis, Ed
wards, Finney, Greeley, Graham, Grant,
Cove, Gray, Garfield, Harper, Hamilton,
Harvey, Hodgeman, Jewell, Kearney,
Kingman, Lane, Logan, Lyon, Mitchell,
Mcpherson, Meade, Marion, Morton,
Ness, Norton, Ottawa, Osborne, Usage,
Pratt, Pawnee, Phillips, Pottawatomie,
Rice, Books, Rush, Russell, Rawlins, Re-
public, Reno, Saline, Scott, Sedgwick.
Seward, Shawnee, Sheridan, Sherman,
Smith, Stafford, Stevens, Sumner, Thorn
as, Trego, Wabaunsee, Washington, Will
son, Woodson. Besides these, three ap-
plications were received from the state OF
Missouri, two from Chicago, ILL.,, and two
from Nebraska, these parties claiming, OF
course, that they wanted the trees to
plant in the state of Kansas.
Realizing that we we're as yet without
the means of satisfying the demands of
every applicant, I thought it necessary to
establish discriminate system of distrib-
uting the seedlings, and had prepared
and distributed to each applicant the fol-
lowing rules and regulations governing
the distribution of forestry stock:
Quoting the full text of the
law X x y The above law was passed
with the intention of becoming positive
force in the foresting of the prairies and
plains of Kansas. The first planting of
seeds in this forestry was done last spring.
It follows that the number Of trees which
I have for distribution this fall is not
very great, nor of many varieties, but a
start has been made. These seedlings
are to be given away at this station. The
state having been SO liberal in its terms,
it follows that the reasonable require
ments which this Office demands of per-
sons who receive timber under this act
will be concurred in readily. In order to
receive any of this stock the questions.
embraced in these rules and regulations
must be answered SO as to afford the
commissioner the opportunity of knowing
the nature of the ground into which these
trees are to be transplanted.
l. When was the ground into which
you purpose planting these trees first
broken, and how many times has it since
been plowed?
2. What is its present depth of Guilt
walton?
3. What is the location of your
ground as to its being high land, bench
land or bottom land?
4. What method do you intend to pur-
sue in the cultivation of timber which
you will receive from this station?
5. Will you in the event of receiving
timber from this station make the COM
missioner of forestry, six months after
planting said timber, and each six months |
thereafter, if required, for three years, a
written statement of the condition of
each variety thereof, and have the state |
ment verified by one of the justices of
your township or your township trustee?
NoTE.-In the case of timber being is
sued to you, failure to comply with this |
last requirement will place you beyond
the pale of further gratuities from this |
station.
REMARK.-In the case of your being en-
titled to an issue of trees blank order !
will be forwarded to you to be filled out |
and returned to this station. Blanks for
reports will be furnished by the commits |
sioner at the proper time.
About 300 of these blanks were filled
out, signed and returned. About 200, |
mostly from the newly settled district, |
reported their land to have been broken
in 1887. AS, in my judgment, such land
is entirely unfit to transplant trees into,
I laid their applications over until the
land was more thoroughly subdued, as no
time would be lost in waiting for more
suitable land to plant in. A consider
able number were from the southern and
southwestern portion of the state, and
hard to reach from this station. I pre-
pared and sent to them the following
circular letter:
OGALLAH, TREao Co.. KAN, |
March 1, 1888.
DEAR SIR: In view of the round |
about way would be compelled to ship
to you from this station, making the
shipping by freight too slow and by ex-
press too expensive to you, have de-
cided to transfer your application for
tree seedlings to the books of Station No.
2, at Dodge City, from which place I can
reach you much more quickly and cheap
ly, and from which place I hope to be
able to make delivery the coming fall.
Hoping that this course will be salts
factory to you, 1 remain,
Yours truly,
8. G. RoBB, Commissioner.
To those contiguous to this station I
sent the following letter:
DEAR SIR: The tree seedlings for
which you made application to this office
are now ready for delivery and subject to
your order. Please advise me at once
how and to what particular point you
desire to have them shipped. The law
only authorizes me to deliver them at
this station free of charge, consequently
all charges after leaving here will have to
be paid by you. The railroad company