Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-07-20

here, those at Mount Vernon planted by
renowned visitors TO the tomb of wash
ington, and A host OF others might be
mentioned to show that. unlike most
other planted things. a tree has dis
tinct individuality. 1t grows up with the
boy, and the old man Of eighty says: Il
started to grow at the same time that
tree did
Again the human element comes in, for
reforeSting is a fight between man and
nature and between man and animals TO
make it a success. As If trying 10 beat
man in his efforts 10 conquer the forest,
nature seems TO take a pcrverse delight
in destroying 1t 1t has been shown that
more than half the forest fires are caused
by lightning. When IL is remembered
that in the big northwestern fires OF
1910 and in other national forests there
We're burned over more than 100000
acres and that the total loss that year
was estimated at nearly s2s.oo0.ooo. IL
will be seen that nature is making re-
foresting big undertaking.
~.
Again. il is a fight against nature In
that most of the reforesting is on terri
tory which is of no value for agricultural
or other purposes. This land, which
otherwise would produce nothing but
stones less, is forced by the hand OF
man TO raise timber. 1t is a fight To
make up for the millions OF feet OF tim
Der which go TO waste annually In the
forests through natural death and decay
OF trees. 1t is fight against nature in
that the forest planters select the land
for direct seeding only when il Is thought
that method will be a success there;
otherwise, planting Is resorted TO, because
that is virtually sure to succeed. Again.
great care is given TO the choice OF the
variety of forest trees to be planted in a
given area Close study is given TO soil
climatic and other conditions before de-
cision Is made as to whether Douglas
FIR. western yellow pine or some other
kind OF tree shall be sown.
As TO the fight against animals. that Is
shown both in the gathering OF the seed
and in the sowing. Man takes advantage
of the seed-collecting propensities Of
squirrels and other little forest animals.
In one national forest more than 100
bushels of yellow pine cones were collect
ed from squirrel caches, and in another
instance Ito bushels Of lodgepole pine
cones were taken from the squirrel
boards. at an average cost of only IS
cents a bushel whereas the average cost
or getting bushel Of cones is - cents.
The squirrels hide their caches cleveriy
and they are chosen that the cones
Will Keep well during the winter.
The foresters report that the canny
little animals do not merely throw the
cones into the caches but that they pack
them in orderly array so that each hoard
contains great many more cones than
one would think at first glance. The
OfncerS or the Bitter Root national forest
report that the squirrels there actually
store the cones under water. When
cones are abundant the squirrels lay by
a great store. much more than they can
possibly eat during the winter.
Squirrels, chipmunks mice, pocket
gophers and other rodents eat the seed
which is planted. tree seed being more
palatable than grain. On this account
it is necessary to scatter around the edge
Of area which is to be reforested q
quantity of poisoned grain.
Again the human element enters into
reforeSting in that man does practically
all of the work from first to last by hand.
Beginning with the gathering of the pine
cones from the nettled floor of the forest
to the final planting of the little trees
on the area to be recovered, most of the
operation is by hand. Machinery is used
to shake the seed from the cones
Reports indicate that about 80 per cent
of all the trees so far planted are living,
while In few exceptional cases the per-
centage is as high as 90. IL has been
estimated that the average cost of re-
foresting is about So an acre. this includ-
ing both methods. About S130,0 year is
being spent this work The forestry
officials express the opinion that the
money is being very we'll spent and that
the future returns will amply repay the
expenditure. In their opinion the expert
ments so far made prove that the sue
cess OF reforesting is assured.