Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1920-09-30

lower altitude where more vigorous plants cOuld
be produced in the longer growing season and the
trees be dug and placed upon the planting areas
as soon as weather conditions made spring field
planting possible.
The monument nursery site chosen ana
developed In the spring Of 1907 a result of the
two years experience with the other two small
sites. The monument site has proved satisfactory
and Is now producing the large amount of yellow
pine, Douglas fir and Engelmann spruce, and the
small amount of timber pine now being planted
nearly upon Pixies Peak
After field planting, further seedlings of Doug
las fir were brought in and planted in the Bear
Creek region with a little better success, as THIS
small planting showed thirty-ive per cent alive.
OF this field planting, a study was made and
a map completed showing the extent of the types
which should be planted with the different species
of trees which grow originally upon the area. The
first experiments were made at the lower alt-
tudes with yellow pine and Douglas fir, In the
more recent years the production of Engelmann
spruce and timber pine for the high planting
types has been taken up. The low percentage
Of survival in the earlier paintings showed the
need of the most vigorous transpants that could
be produced, and this was secured in the two
one plant, as leaving the tree two years in the
seed bed gave plant readily handled in trans
planting, while the year in the transplant
had produced well developed tree with clus
tered root system made up of fine rootles Of
much greater area than that of tree crown or
. evaporating surface. =.
Some 4,575 acres have been planted on the
Pike national forest for the most part in the
Colorado Springs region and in the vicinity of tile
famous auto highway to the top Of Pixies Peak
An additional thousand acres is also being re-
forested in this vicinity. Fully eghty-fve per
cent of the area which has been urtihcaIy planted
to pines and spruces can be considered as sue
cessfuy stocked with trees. Such losses have
occurred are due principally to the planting Of
Austrian pine, a species which is here out Of its
habitat. While fall planting may succeed in
regions where there are early and abundant SHOWS,
such conditions cannot be depended. upon along
the eastern slopes of the Rocky mountains.
The principal species planted are yellow pine
on the lower foothills, which in turn gives way
to Douglas fir and Engelmann spruce on the
higher slopes, timber pine being used for windy,
exposed regions. The trees are planted eight by
eight feet or about 700 acre, and the average
cost of planting, including the cost of producing
the trees at the nursery, is approximately $1l an
acre which is considered moderate when the
rugged and rocky region in which the refOresa-
ton work is being carried is considered. Cen
orally speaking it may be said that the annual
survival of trees varies from 60 to 30 per cent
There was little public interest In the work
I at first. The slow growth of the trees, and the
slight showing each year had much to do with
this lack of enthusiasm on the part of the public
In fact, in the early paintings complaint was
made Though scrupulous care was taken TO guard
against it) that in planting these watersheds the
presence of camps for the planters would polute
the water Of the cities using IT for a municipal
supply. One prominent citizen spoke with rdcule
of the project, claiming it was absurd TO spend
the peoples money for reforestatiOn above an
altitude of 1000 feet because above this altitude
the growth was slow that such paintings could
never be Of value. Now that the trees show we'll
over the plantations, there Is hearty approval for
what has been accomplished.
SO 1t seems that the millions of those who
have seen Pixies Peak may not know the old
fellow when next they make the trip, for he will
have a new face some day.
20. $780, Western Newspaper Union)