The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1907-10-12
START REFRESHING
HDFRAL SERVICE TO BEGIN.
GREAT UNDERTAKING.
,rf.u R;llion Seeds to Be Collected
md Planted on Domain from
Which Timber Has Been Cut
=, Burned and on Lands De-
roid of Timber.

u..os forest service is now engaging
o'a' campaign of extensive proportions
u the reforestation of lands from
lOL ;,b the timber has been cut or
Nn and also of lands upon which
timber has been grown within the
" .u,orv of white men, but upon which
pbo climatic and water conditions in
w ITO that timber culture ought to be
A. this time, in the furtherance of
-, campaign, employees of the service
su affecting fifty billion seeds of for
o trpes to be used next spring in an
'~,oriment in broadcast sowing and
sa r niapting in the forest service nur-
.,ries The experiment in broadcast
wing will be for the purpose of test
~ the extent to which this method
. nan he used upon the large areas of
J.nuded lands in the West and also to
inform the people of the country gen.
oroIIv on the subject. 1t is anticipated
tbat if it succeeds it will do much to
IA refreshing on lands in the Eastern
ond Middle states owned by private
The seeds will be collected in Mon
tona Wyoming, Colorado, Arizona and
california, from Douglas fir, Engle-
man spruce, Western larch incense
oodar and yellow pine trees. The cost
If planting trees from nursery seed
Iipes is very heavy, and on big tract
rms readily into figures prohibitive
for anyone but the government or a
bIHonaire. For that reason it will be
an ipmense saving of money, labor
and time if a new forest can be start
ed by broadcast sowing. Tests will
have to be mad, in every state in the
Union before the question can finally
said to be solved, and it is the purpose
Of the government to make them.
Seeds Grown in Nurseries
Much of the tree seed collected this
fall will be used in the forest service
nurseries. The tiny seedlings will be-
gin their life in beds, to be later trans
planted for year or more of care and
cultivation, and finally to be set out
Oh the denuded mountain slopes. The
government has nine of these planting
stations and they are at Nalsey, Neb.,
Fort Bayard, Las Vegas and Fort Stan
ton, New Mexico; Pixies Peak, Colo,
Wasatch, Utah, Pasadena and San
Marcos, Cal, and Pocatello, Idaho.
The gathering of seeds is an inter.
esting process. One method largely
followed in this country and in Eu
rope is to rob squirrel nests. In the
West, where hickory nuts, chestnuts,
beechnuts. ETC., are very scarce OF
wholly lacking, the squirrel gives his
attention to pine cones. He stores
them by the bushel behind old logs,
in the hollows of trees, logs, stumpt
and locks, to wait for them to open
and release the seeds. He collects the
very best quality because he climbs tt
the tops of the most lusty trees and
selects the choicest of cones from the
tips Of the longest limbs.
Seeds Direct From Forests
But of course seeds are gathered in
other ways as we'll, as the squirrel col
lects only certain varieties most palat
aole to him. The usual method, where
men do the work, is to take the seeds
from trees which are being felled by 6
logging gang, the collectors moving
from one numbering operation to an,
Oner, and when it is good year the
results are very satisfactory.
After the cones are collected they
must be spread out in the sun and
urled, or in especially stubborn cases
subjected to artificial heat, in order
sna1 the cones may be opened and TIT
ssea released. After the seed is ex
!sacted it is placed in bags and stored
u. ~ a cool dry place and kept thus unit
slne lor spring planting If all the seedl
would grow ton of seed would pro
Ou1e forest of large area, but they
i'll not.
Studying the Problem
10 the nurseries the conditions ART
40 na'e 10 approximate those Of the for
ss ss as nearly as possible. The fores'
s,lslee is always glad to make an ex
~ Dlnatlon of the soil and condition.
any state where anyone wants t.
a aauertake tree planting for the pur.
s r;n OF reforesting tract of land. i
and M, SEND experts to study the regior
tb 1a lts forest history, If it has any
c1; u typography of the country and tn
w;t ulate, soil, and so on, winding al
sa .'u recommendation as to the bes
n eties to plant and the best method
pursue in doing so.
sr %! the people generally are not ye
tb;a ate OF what the service is doing il
mssl respect, or they do not take YER,
ns susn interest in forestry, for the de
il a ior information along these line
osplorably meager.
Large Demand in Prairie States
Ss In some states, however, such .
smaa asRa' for instance, where there i
Of sa pkeen appreciation Of the valu'
sast est trees than in states farthe'
On y, large demands have been made
thu w. a government for schooling y
40 sclonca IF - hnv