The evening herald. (Klamath Falls, Or.) 1906-1942, 1921-10-05
TsUo Departments
Back Beetle War
CONTINUED from rage u

interior to combat an insect infesta-
tion Of the timber upon the national
forests, Indian reservations, lands re
vested IN the United States under
tho act Of June o, 1919 (ss STAT,
i21O and on the unreserved public
lands In Oregon and California. OF
this amount $4,000 Ia to be spent
by the secretary Of agriculture and
,$se,eso Is appropriated to enable the
secretary Of the interior either inde-
pcndently or In corporation with the
secretary Of agriculture to prevent
further loss Of timber upon lands un-
der the Jurisdiction Of the depart
most Of tho interior, Section 3 Of the
bill provides that no part Of the mon
eys appropriated shall be spent ex-
cept for preliminary Investigation un-
less that States Of Oregon and WASH
ingtsn or the owners Of the pine tim
bes land adjacent to the aovernment
,anSs shall have sstisfisd tho seere-
taYy Of agriculture that the insect
insestation viii b, abated upon tho
State and privately owned lands 10
40 70 prevent It's spread to the timber
on The Goyeenment lands.
Damage ~ Boctics
From reports Of local officers Of
thA department II IL found that a |
serious epidemic Of bark beetles has
killed billion feet Of vsluabis pine
timber on both sides Of tho line be-
tvesa, Aha States Of Oregon and Cali
foTnia during the past fsw years and
unIsss II IL checked the ioss already
estimated at three million collars 10
likely TO be double or treble that
amount. The infestation has spread
until now about a million and q quar-
ter acres are involved. About half OF
this area Is in private owne1hip.
The other half is owned or admins
tered by the United States including
parts Of five national forests. part Of
the klamath Indian reservation, part
Of the revested Oregon and Califor.
mia land grant and q small portion
Of the unentered public domain.
Efforts mt Control
Some OF the private owners OF the
region have attempted to protect
iheiP remaining timber BY destroying
The insects on their own lands. These
efforts have not been successful be-
cause OF the renewed attacks by
beetles from adjacent lands. The en-
lire region must be regarded %
INIT. II the insects are to b combat
ID successfully, the action taken
must be with the view Of cleansing
III or O large part Of the unit In one I
ssseral plan. /
Orson IeRislstion !,
The legislature Of the state Of Ore I
ron recognizing this menace and hav- |
ng before II the experience OF other I
,pidomics OF tree killing insects. has y
,assed a bill which provides that in I
eet infestations OF this character 8
nay be declared to be a public nuis- {
nee and that the owners OF the land
N which the infested timber stands v
must abate the nuisance or the state Il
viii do II at the owners expense. z
This legislation is Ineffective where d
Government land is involved since c
he State can not require the Federal r
Government to pay. |,
Area Covered by Epidemic 4
The epidemic covers about $780, u
90 acres in the klamath Indian re- r
ervation, 100000 acres OF the re-
ested Oregon and California grant &
ands in Oergon as well as $4,000 Il
cres Of unappropriated public land n
"a 2s6.00 acres Of government (,
ssd In National Forests on both 81
ides OF the state line. Tho private c,
wners and the State Of Oregon are
9th helpless in spite Of the State o.
,sislation unless the federal govern b
rent will do Its share in protecting b
he ten billion feet OF pine timber n
orth at least thirty million dollars, al
'hich Is tho main resource OF the re- N
lon. al
Activity Of Private Owners Il
In April. the private owners Of tim II
er in the. region called meeting ut 81
.lamath Falls in which the situation o.
as discussed. Besides the owners of m
rivate land the meeting was attend v,
4 by representatives OF the Indian
lfice OF the department Of the inter- II
", the bureau Of entomology and m
10 forest service Of the department &C
I agriculture, the California fores- fu
y committee, the Oregon State For al
tiers office. the oregon agricultural b!
,llese and the Western Forestry m
i'd conservation association. At the in
eeting II developed that the private O.
A-A IN l.