The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-07-27
BILLION
TREES TO FIGHT
U. S. EROSION
Defense Against Elements
viii Go From Canada
to Panhandle.
BIZ United Press

By United Press
WASHINGTON, July 27.-Jason
raised an army from dragons teeth.
The United States will raise one,
/ $500. 100000 strong. from tree seed
lings.
1t will stretch from the Canadian
border to the Texas Panhandle.
standing guard against new raids
by drought and erosion which
threaten to turn the American
middIewest into another Sahara.
Approximately 10000 600 acres, Of
which 100000 will be planted to
trees, would be benefited directly.
the forest service estimates.
Beginning in Cavalier county,
/ Just over the Canadian line in
North Dakota, this forest shelter
belt will march southwark through
the DakotaS, Nebraska. Kansas and
Oklahoma, into Childress and Hall
counties in the Texas Panhandle.
1t will be 100 miles wide and about
1900 long.
To Cost S75,OOO,OOO
President Roosevelt released s15.-
/ 100000 Of S475,0O0.000 drought relief
fund to start the project which, it is
estimated, eventually will cost S75,-
100000. Henry A. Wallace, secretary
of agriculture has S1OOO0,OOO avail
able for immediate use.
! The project is another of the con-
servation and reforestation pro-
grams dear to the Presidents
heart. 1t will require the services
of the Civilian Conservation Corps.
first of Mr.. RooSevelt's far-reaCh-
ing devices to restore the United
States rich timber resources.
WlndbreakS, running north and
south, will be planted a mile
apart, making approximately 100
parallel windbreaks to each 100
mile belt. Each would be about
100 yards wide, covering fourteen
acres of every square mile.
The western border Of the protec-
ton zone will follow the line of
eighteen inches annual rainfall.
ForesterS said that to plant in
regions of less precipitation would
mean probable loss of the trees.
Soil to Be Held in Place
This will be the largest project
ever undertaken in this country to
modify climatic and other agricul-
tural conditions in an area that now
is harassed constantly by winds and
drought" F. A. Silcox, chief for
ester, said.
The great plains have been SUI
fering acutely from prolonged
drought. The economic and social
consequences are extremely serious.
The dust storm which recently
blanketed the country from the Da-
kotas to the Atlantic seaboard is an
ominous reminder Of the incipient
desert conditions in the great
/ plains area.
Man can not change ali the
/ forces of weather, but he can mOdl-
fly his own surroundings. He can
amelOrate the effects of weather on
a large scale, just as he can around
his own home. If the surface veloc-
ity of the wind over a wide area can
/ be broken and decreased even
! slightly. soil will be held in place,
| the moisture of the soil will be
| conserved, and Ravens Of shelter
will be created for man, beast and
bird"
10-Year Planting
General headquarters for the ten
to tWelve-year undertaking will be
set up almost Immediately. Several
field stations and a chain Of
twelve or thirteen nurseries to
furnish seedlings will start opera
tions shortly thereafter.
Each state directly affected by
the shelter belt will have at least
one nursery. Distribution probably
will be as follows: Texas and Okla
/ homa, one each; Kansas and South
Dakota, two each; Nebraska, two or
three, and North Dakota, three or
four.
Only a limited amount Of plant
ing will be conducted this year.
Large scale planting will be under