172 



AMKRIC'.W FORI S1'RY 



the public by pointing out the tremendous loss from these 

 pests every year. 



As to methods of destrov'ing the caterpillars Professor 

 Quaintance suggests two. He says: 



"Neglect to search out the egg masses during the 

 winter will result in the appearance of the larvte about 

 the time the trees are putting forth foliage. The nests, 

 at first small, are soon so increased in size as to attract 

 attention. If the caterpillars are destroyed as soon as the 

 small nests are detected, this will prevent further defolia- 

 tion and the rule should be adopted to destroy them as 

 soon as detected. In this work either of two methods 

 may be employed, destruction by hand or with a torch. 



"When convenient the nests may be torn out with a 

 brush, with gloved hand, or otherwise, and the larvae 

 crushed on the ground, care being taken to destroy any 

 caterpillars which may have remained on the tree. 



"Use of a torch to bum out the nests will often be 

 found convenient in the higher parts of the tree. An 

 asbestos torch will be satisfactory, or one may be made by 

 tying rags to a pole. Saturate either kind with kerosene. 

 In using the torch great care is needed that no important 

 injury be done the tree." 



There are spraying methods, but these arc not recom- 

 mended in campaigns of this kind and should 1:)C only 

 under the direct supervision of experts. 



INDIA'S FOREST MANAGEMENT 



A MEMBER of the Indian Forest Service, stationed at 

 Mangalore, South Canara, South India, writes the 

 following interesting letter : 



The Editor, American Forestry : 



"I see your jiaper regularly and have a great admira- 

 tion for it and for the vigorous fight being made in its pages 

 for a sane Forest Policy by the state. 



" I am not a United States citizen, nor do I know per- 

 sonally any mcml^cr of the American Forestry Associa- 

 tion, but if ehgible I should like to join the Association. 



"It is probably impossible for us in this country to 

 realize the opposition which you arc i\p against. 



"Here the Government early secured complete control 

 of practically all important forest tracts, and besides vast 

 areas more or less wooded where conservation was deemed 

 advisable. These great state properties, known as Re- 

 served Forests, are administered by the Forest Service 

 with something like a free hand, backed by the all-com- 

 prehending Forest Act. 



"No imi:)ortant operations arc carried on in the Re- 

 served Forests except according to the provisions of care- 

 fully drawn up and duly sanctioned working plans, which 

 prescribe, for a term of years, everything which shall be 

 done in that forest. Prominent among such provisions 

 are measures for improving the growing stock, which, 

 with the soil, form the Capital on which fellings should 

 represent only the naturally recurring Interest. 



"It seems scarcely credible that Canada, for instance, 

 should have yet to initiate her first working plan, and thai 

 the United States should be not much more advanced. 



"Though it may be true, however, that our Indian 

 Forests are steadily improving, while a large part of the 

 timber stands of North America are deteriorating or even 

 vanishing, yet I believe you would be astonished at the 

 primitive methods of lumbering usually in vogue in India. 

 There is little doubt that judicious expenditure on im- 

 proved communications would enormouslj' increase, say 

 double or treble, the output without prejudice to situation 

 or exceeding the possiVjility of the forests." 



LOWEST FOREST FIRE LOSS 



A LOSS to the Government of $162,385 in timber, for- 

 age and young growth was caused by fires on the 

 National Forests in 1916, according to statistics 

 compiled by the Forest Service. Although there was more 

 than the average number of fires, the loss is the smallest 

 that has been sustained from fires since the National For- 

 ests were established. A favorable season in the regions 

 where the most severe damage is usually sustained is 

 given as the chief reason for the relati\-ely small loss. 



A total of 299,377 acres of Government land burned 

 over. In addition to this, the fires covered 123,160 

 acres of privately owned land in the National Forests 

 where timber valued at $36,214 was consumed. About 

 44 per cent of the total area burned was located in the 

 National Forests of Arkansas and Florida. 



Of the 5655 fires which occurred, 4133, or 73 per cent, 

 were confined to areas of less than 10 acres. Alany of 

 these small fires, according to the Forest Service, might 

 have developed into serious conflagrations had they not 

 been extinguished in their incipiency. 



The average cost of fighting each fire was approxi- 

 mately half that of former j^ears. Lightning was the chief 

 cause of the fires and was responsible for 23 per cent of 

 all those which occurred. The causes of 18 per cent were 

 unknown, while careless campers started 17 per cent. 

 There was a slight increase in the fires of incendiary 

 origin, as well as those started by sparks from locomotives. 

 With the exception of those caused by lightning, all the 

 fires were due to human agencies. One fire in Idaho which 

 burned 600,000 feet of timber was caused by the careless- 

 ness of a ten-year-old boy. 



The season was one of particular severity in the south- 

 west, as well as parts of Colorado and Wyoming, where 

 local weather conditions created at times a grave situa- 

 tion. In Washington heavy loss was caused by fires which 

 started in inaccessiVjle places and which the rangers were 

 unable to reach for several davs because of the lack of trails. 



TOWN forests are featured in the annual report of the 

 Massachusetts Forestry Association just issued by 

 Secretary H. A. Reynolds. It is announced that last 

 year saw two more town forests started, those in Brook- 

 line and Walpole, and seven other towns are preparing 

 to establish town forests during 1917. The association 

 has offered to plant fifty acres to young trees in the town 

 forest which makes the best showing among the first ten 

 to be established in the state. 



