The National tribune., 1907-03-14

the UmatilIa Project of the United
States Reclamation Service, and the
protection of the lands from overgraZ
ing and indiscriminate and careless
numbering operations Is considered alb
solutely necessary by the Reclamation
Ashland National Forest.
By the recent proclamations approx
imately 1900 acres have beer added
to the Ashland National Forest in Ore
gon. The entire area added consists
of mountain land, not valuable for ag
riculture, but of an extraordinary value
for growing timber. Like all western
Oregon the climate is mild. the seasons
very long and the precipitation great,
exactly the conditions under which tim
Der grows most rapidly and reaches the
greatest development. A very large
portion of the area has been burned
over and the timber destroyed, which
accounts for the fact thai it has not yet
been taken up under any of the land
laws. Under proper administration,
such as the Forest Service proposes to
give 1t, these lands will be protected
from further destruction by fire and
conditions necessary to reforestation
secured. Under good management the
burned-over areas WILL after forty
years. yield commercial timber, and the
area will thereafter bring in a perman-
ent income to the community and to
the Government. If It is not properly
managed. the probability is that fire
will practically prevent the production
of commercial crop of timber.
Las Animns National Forest.
The Las Animas National Forest lies
principally in Las Animas Co., Colora-
do, and was established in response to
petitions from the City Council and the
Chamber of Commerce Of the city of
Trinidad. The new reserve includes
the headwaters Of the Las Animas or
Purgatory River, upon which this city
depends for It's municipal wafer supply.
Trinidad has q population of from 49,
600 to $1,000, and is growing rapidly in
size The Las Animas River flows thru
fertile valley containing thousands of
acres of rich agricultural lands, the
greater portion of which can not be ir-
rigated on account of lack of water.
For its municipal water supply, the
city has recently extended its point of
diversion some 80 miles higher up, and
has expended for reservoir sites and
pipe lines a sum in excess of 100000.
OF late years, q marked decrease in the
amount and regularity of stream flow
has been remarked, due to denudation
of timber on the headwaters and to the
destruction Of the ground-cover by
| overgraZing. Owing to the destruction
of this protective cover, there occurred
two years ago very disastrous flood.
which destroyed many thousands of
dollars worth of property and theraten-
| ed the very existence of portion of
| the town itself. Realizing the vital re-
lationship between forests and stream
flow, the representatives of the city
united in petitioning the President for
the creation of forest reserve. The
petitions were signed Jan. 26 and Jan.
28, 1907. The proclamation, was signed
by the President March / following, an
examination Of the area having pre-
viously been made by a representative
of the Forest Service.
Montexumn.
The recent addition to the Montezuma
National Forest in Colorado is 1.040,-
900 acres. It includes a heavy belt of
pine timber extending from the west
edge of the National. forest down
the Dolores River for about 80 miles.
It also takes in a splendid forest of
yellow pine on the San Miguel plateau,
and belt of excellent spruce timber in
the vicinity of Ophir ana Silverton. A
large burn which is now restocking
with spruce is also included along Las
Animas River. .seh
The value Of this addition to the Mon
tezuma Is very great for protection pur-
poses to extensive irrigation projects
now under way in western Colorado.
II Is also important that these splendid
timbered areas be put under Govern
ment control and thoroly protected, for
the development of this region is go
ing to depend very largely upon a con-
venient, accessible and continuous sup
ply Of timber.
San Juan.
The total area added to the San Juan
National Forest in Colorado is 760,000l
acres.
The addition on the south contains al
large amount of yellow pine timber up
on which the settlements along the San
Juan River and the country near Du-
range are entirely dependent. 1t Is es-
sential that this forest area be given