The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1905-07-20
IN THE WORLD OF PROGRESS 5


have purchased the right until it has been girdled
by the government forest officer. The rivers down
which logs are 1Oated must be kept from from
all distractions No hill gardens are allowed to
be made in the reserved Districts and cutting,
marking or telling Of any trees shrubs OF any
kind, without express permission is penal
offense. Even roads and bride paths may pc
closed if it is thought that giving access to the
forests endangers the valuable teak trees All
these elaborate precautions are taken TO prevent
the calamity of forest fires which are easily KIM
died by the nomadic tribes of the mountains, who
wastefuy burn the jungle to effect clearing
previous to the primitive sowing OF their crops
The Cornell experiment station, Ithaca, N. Y,
has conducted some experiments in using acety-
lene light in houses devoted to the forcing OF
plants, with very interesting results. 1t has been
established that other kinds of light helped IN
forcing growth of plants, but acetylene light more
nearly approaches the results of the sunlight The
National Nurseryman, in commenting upon these
experiments, says: plants grown under acetylene
light vegetated much more rapidly than others
not under it's influence and those grown for cut
flowers reached the blooming stage considerably
in advance of their competitors grown under
ordinary sunlight only Easter lilies grew twice
as high and boOmed ten days TO two weeks in
advance of those outside of the acetylene lighted
area. The growth OF radish and lettuce was
greatly fastened and the yield in a given time
much increased. The branches of Towering
shrubs responded in marked degree to the in
fluence of the light. Those under acetylene light
boomed several days in advance OF those In the
same temperature and influenced by day light
only 1t was also proved that the plants under
the influence of acetylene light only, would form
chlorophy as if grown in sun light"
We have the word of the statistcians that the
chinch bug annually destroys crors valued at $780,
100000; that the grasshopper eats up $50O00,OOO
worth, the Hessian fly $40,00O,000, the cornrOot
worm, the cotton boil weevil and the codling moth
of apple each $20,000,0O0; the army worm $751;
900, the grain weev and San Jose scale $10,-
0000 600 each, the cotton leaf worm and the potato
bug $8,O0O,OO0 each, and the cabbage worm S.
100000. This makes total of $298, 900 worth
of products that might have been expected ito,
but never do, get to market because OF the raw
ages of these most numerous insects. And this
is not the only loss charged to their account
Shortage of crops affects various Industries and
increases prices, and deal of money is spent
2 in fighting the pests. Taking into account all
these things, the annual loss in this country from
insect pests, distributed among the various pro-
ducts, is estimated as follows: Cereals, $780,
600 0O0 animal products SITS 900; forest and
forest products, $ll1, 000 truck crops and hay
and forage, $53,000O00 cotton, $30000,O 600; fruits
$27 000,0O0; tobacco, $5,30O,000; sugars, $5OOO,-
600; miscellaneous crops $5,soOooO, and products
in storage $100,OOO,OO0 making total of
$7S5,OO0,O0O
Eight miles of tunnels will soon be bored
through the heart of the Sierra Nevada
tains by the Southern Pacific railroad. The object
OF this gigantic undertaking is to shorten the
line by forty miles and to lessen the grade about
1000 feet. It is estimated that the cost will be
over $25, 600. There are to be five tunnels in
all, the main five miles in length. On
count of the long stretch, it will be impossible
to use coal engines for the hauling of trains
through the tunnels because of the poisonous
gases that are apt to accumulate. Electric or
compressed air engines will be substituted for the
steam. When these great tunnels are completed
r thirty-two miles of snowshed, which now cling
to the mountain side and wind about it in tor
tuous TRAIL will longer be needed for, starting
at short distance northwest of Bonner Lake.
the train will leave the wild, rugged scenery
through which it has been running for miles
and plunge directly into the side Of the mountain.
e. tLrn,anh tho hoort Of tho Sierra