Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1906-03-23
GOVERNMENT FORESTRY.
Tree Planting on Denuded Mountains and
unproductive Wastes to Secure Timber
crops and 70 Husband Water suppIy.

Tree Planting on Denuded Mountains and
unproduetIve Wastes to Secure Timber
Crops and to Husband Water Supply.
Forest planting on the national forest
reserves has gained far wider scope and
a wholly new Importance since the ad-
ministration Of the reserves passed to
the secretary Of agriculture. a year ago.
This work now forms leading part Of
the activity of the forest service and
gives great promise for the future
This change Is due to a fuller appre-
citation of the needs Of timber supply and
water conservation, and to the knowledge
that nature. unaided, cannot repair the
forest ravage and waste Of the past.
The area now under forest In the West
IL less by millions of acres than the area
suitable for forest growth. In the first
place. IRE has destroyed an enormous
quantity OF forest, denudlng mountain
slopes so completely that forest renewal
by natural means has been rendered i'm
possible for ages. Again, vast areas.
scores OF millions Of acres, like the
chaparral lands OF southern California,
which once bore forest growth but long
since lost 1t. must remain indefinitely
unproductive wastes unless brought again,
by planting, under forest Moreover, the
demand for timber, even the local de-
mand, cannot long be supplied from
the reserves unless they are developed to
the highest productive capacity. and, for
this. forest replacement and extension,
quite as much as conservative logging. are
essential. Finally. the indirect use OF the
reserves Is not less impressive. The
vital importance OF water for irrigation
would. In the case OF several Of them,
alone sufice to render forest planting on
watersheds imperative. In southern Call
fornia forest extension on the mountains
is strongly favored by public sentiment at
ii. l. a.
not the supply Of fertile soil. which limits
agriculture, so that land worth $4,000 an
acre with water could hardly be given
away without Il.
There are now six permanent reserve
planting stations. two in California, one
in New Mexico. one in Colorado. one In
Utah, and one in Nebraska. Others will
be established as II is found advisable.
The past winter has been extremely
favorable for planting in California A
large force of men has been employed,
both in the San Gabriel and in the Santa
Barbara mountains. Since the beginning
OF the rainy season about 100. 900 seedlings
have been set out. At least dozen kinds
were tried. to ascertain which are most
suitable for use at different attitudes and
under different exposures. Besides the
seedlings set out on the mountain slopes.
from two to three hundred thousand more
nave been transplanted from covered seed
beds to open nursery beds. there to be
held for use in the winter OF 1906-07. The
prime object of the operations in south
ern California is the improvement OF Inn
portant watersheds.
with the approach Of the spring season
plans are being made for active work AT
| the other stations. The most extensive
| planting will be done in the Dismal river
reserve. near Halsey. Neb Here 500 00C
! two year-old pine seedlings will he planted
| In the sand hills adjoining the nursery
| site This work will begin about the mid
I die Of April and will continue for a month
/ or six weeks This Dismal river reserve
! Is located in the typical sand-hill country
where the ground is OF little value fol-
| agriculture but we'll adapted to tree
growth The forestation OF this large re-
serve will create an important future tim
| Der supply. and will at the same time
| demonstrate that these sand-hill lands
generally can be put to productive use.
On the Pixies Peak reserve planting will
be done near Clyde. From 80 TO 40 thou
sand yellow pine and red fir seedlings will
| be shipped from Nebraska for that pur-
pose. since seedlings in the Clyde nursery
are too small for transplanting The
| planting will be done on denuded water.
/ sheds for the conservation OF water and
for future store Of timber.
In the recently established reserve ir
the vicinity OF Garden City. Kans.. ex'
|
carried on. For this project $4,000 pine
seedlings win be shipped from Nebraska
| and $4,000 broadleaf seedlings will b.
bought from nurserymen. A section o.
land will be fenced. and fire guards will
be piowed to protect the planted area
The work here viii serve the same purpos
as the Dismal river reserve. and will. be-
sides. be a great incentive to settlement.
The success which accompanied seed
sowing In the Black Hills reserve las
spring has encouraged the forest servic'
to plan similar work for this spring
Broadcast sowing had never before PROVED
successful in reserve work. but the sO'
pounds of yellow Fine seed cast upon thu
snow in this experiment produced results
far beyond all expectations, results which
appear to indicate the practicability of hi
i method on thousands OF acres in Thu
region OF all methods of forest planting
Il Is the simplest and cheapest, and tn
local demand for timber for mining pur
poses is great.
Nursery work win be carried on ex
tensively at all the stations. At the For
Bayard station, New Mexico, permanen
headquarters will be established and opel
transplant beds constructed with tn
new nursery beds at the Wasatch station
Utah, at the Bear Creek station in tn
pixies Peak reserve, and at Clyde, Colo,
and the enlarged beds at Halsey Neb
the total area of seed beds win nave al
annual capacity OF about twelve million
seedlings.
Al the end Of the planting season near
~ fve hundred acres win have been newt,
reforested.