Evening journal., 1900-02-16
PRESERVATION OF TREES


EXPERIMENTS TO BE MADE BY
THE GOVERNMENT DIVISION OF
FORESTRY.
Washington D. c.. Feb. ie.--The
Division ofForestry has selected South
crn California as the field for an ex-
hausu2e series a measurements and
Investigations for the purpose OF Sc
curing accurate knowledge OF the rela-
ton OF forest 10 the run-on streams.
The question has become an exceed
ingly important one in many parts Of
the United States where numbering is
extcheave. and HAS caused much diver
sity 81 opinion among scientific men
After examining many watersheds and
secuFirg,}Nhe. advice Of q number Of
hydrauiH engineers. the Division OF
Forestry. has chosen tho watershed
which embraces the sources OF the Mo-
have river in the San Bernardino
mountains, Ms the best centie Tor ex-
perimenls. !
The work win commence soon. and
VIII embrace a. Comprehensive study u
Ae present forest cover. considered in
relation TO the rainfall ana the flood
capacity OF streams The area selected
contains three distinct types-the Hol-
tomb shed. hrush-cOyered district.
he Little Bsar she'd which, hss,.been
,ieuHar2.e y'' lit.siprsi nri- III .thvss5cop
Drcek shed. stlll covered With heavy
virgin forest These areas aee Under
Ac control of the Arrowhead Irrigation
'7mnany, which has kept twenty
lRht rain-guage stations IN operation
lor seven years, and has. also measured
iho flow OF tho streams during that
inios so that the government experts
viii ltoyc much data already on hand.
Tho soil Us similar on ali portions. and
he geological formation uniformly
,ranitic. The rainfall on The forefted
"a logged-on tracts is practically the
lme, but IS slightly less on the lIol-
roinb shed. which approaches dReri
"cnditipns. Il is believed that condi,
Gus die SO nearly similar throughout
he region that the observations will
fe as instructive as II made on the
same tract before and after numbering
The effects Of grazing and fires Will also
re noted.
The Hood capacity Of tho streams will
8 made the basis % Investigation n
well-known that, although the rain
III may be less, a barren area will OF
m produce greater floods than
coden area. This IA because thu
alter, unobstructed by vegetable cover
ms of ihe surface rapidly and +,
sTpctidAlly wasted a lessor tota
ainfall, If conserved by the forest, will
roak into the ground and flow steadil,
throughout the year The inveetiga.
tons projected will be the first. how
ever, inthis country. to attempt Z.
prove by figures that the food oxtremt
Of streams is in proportion to the lacl
Of forest covering. The results will b.
applicable in q general way to any por
ton Of the country and will be Of spe
ciai value 10 all regions where irriga
ton is practiced
The Division az Forestry has de
cided TO investigate early next sum
mer the extreme eastern distribution
q the Rocky Molntaln trees The In
formation viii be for the benefit @
tree planters on the western plains. fo
the success OF planting in. these re
gions must largely depend upon intro
ducing the trees which are NATURAL
adapted TO them Heretofore o iarg
proportion Of the trees planted upo
the plains have been eastern specie.
the effort of planters having been grad
ually to force the eastern species west
ward. There Is reason 70 believe tha
q number OF Rocky Mountain trees. ae
customed to an arid environment, wi
be apt 10 succeed better in the NOR
western plains regions than N
eastern species. This Is nartic,
larry true Of trees whic