Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1908-01-02
STUDY FORE STRY.
Students at Oregon Agricultural Col
Iege Gathering Tree Seeds.


By Z. A. Lake, Oregon Agricultural College
The students in forestry at the Agri.
cultural college are making their first
collection OF seeds of native trees and
shrubs for use in the establishment OF
forest tree nursery and arboretum
The purpose in view is not only that
the work shall be instructive to the
student in the study Of seeds and seed
age, silviculture and dendrology, but
that the plant shall be source OF data
to the whole state upon the growth,
habit, resistance. and general character
OF the trees and shrubs of Oregon, go
far as is possible to grow them upon
the same site and similar conditions.
Not only are local seeds being col
lected but seeds from the home dis
tricts are coming in from friends OF
students and the institution. This
kindness on the part of those residing
in the more distant and mountainous
parts Of the state is highly appreciated,
as it enables the class to obtain a much
greater variety than otherwise would
be possible with the time and means at
the command of either students or in
stitution.
Owing to the fact that the course is
but one year old, only the general and
preliminary phases Of the subject have
been considered by the students in the
work. The O. A. G. Forest club, an
organization Of those interested in the
forests Of the state, is now discussing
forest fire laws, their enforcement, eff
cheney and improvement. Each stu
dent is assigned phase of the topic in
hand and in due time reports his find
ings to the club. Prominent timber,
mill and lumbermen upon invitation
discuss various topics before the club,
as transportation, timber preservation,
forest conservation, re-forestation, i'm
proved methods of numbering. o. s.
forest service work and similar topics.
Later the advanced students will take
up work looking to the solution of some
Of the very practical problems new be-
fore the wood users Of the country.
The great problem of what to do
with the waste, including the standing
timber that is injured by insect and
fungus foes, will be one Of the first to
be investigated as coon as the equip.
ment Of the department will permit.
The statement is made upon good
that fifteen per cent of the
mature timber on the western slope of
he central region of the Cascade is
wholly lost through fungous diseases,
md that another fifteen per cent is
graded as GULL Beetles, borers and
minor foes do considerable further
lamage, and it is safe to say that the
um total of these losses must amount
o millions of dollars. It is reasona BILE
% suppose, in the face of recent results
n agricultural practices in our own
country, to say nothing Of the modern
orestry practices Of Europe, that the
major part of this loss could be turned |
o gain through the intelligent investi.
,ation of the troubles and the applica-
ion Of modern measures for combating
hese foes of the forest.
Other great problems are those relat.
ng to taxation, re-forestation, utiliz-
ng mill waste, improved methods of
the crops, disposing of the
lebris and weed trees, timber technol-
gy and the preservation of lumber.
These problems together with many
nore it is the purpose of the college to
elp solve through the department of
orestry, as well as train men to take
old of the practical work and prob
Ems of our forests and thus insure the
est possible use of the tree crop.