CLIMATIC RECORDS IN THE TRUNKS OF TREES 



735 



and some in dry climates do, give a valuable record ot 

 annual rainfall ; second, it has been shown that trees 

 may, and some in wet climates do, give an excellent 

 record of sunspot activity. Now, unless we introduce 

 some new agency such as a profound changing stimula- 

 tion in the direct solar rays, a subject well worth investi- 

 gating, we must regard the trees as receiving their solar 

 influence through the medium of the weather, and are 

 forced to the conclusion that there is a connection of 

 some sort between solar activity as displayed in sunspots 

 and the weather, which by the aid of tree growth we have 

 a most extensive means of investigating. Here then we 

 are presented with a most fascinating field for future 

 work. We must admit from the photograph and curves 

 that there is a physical connection between solar activity 

 and the growth of vegetation, certainly as represented 

 in trees of certain districts. But the nature of this con- 

 nection, through what weather element or elements it 

 takes place, just how the sun affects those elements, even 

 the exact causes of sunspots and why they recur in larger 

 numbers every eleven years, are questions which will 

 only be cleared up by extensive investigations. 



One final practical word is well worth saying to lovers 

 of forests. The account here given presents an idea of 

 the value of records contained in trees. It is the oldest 

 trees containing the longest records which are likely to 

 die or be cut down first. So it is within the power of 

 those having the care of forests, when the very old trees 

 have to be removed, to preserve sections, marking them 

 carefully with the month and year and locality, and thus 

 preserve for future investigators, sources of information 

 which, once lost, can never be replaced. 



WHITE PINE BLISTER DISEASE 



AT a recent meeting in Pittsburgh of the Committee on 

 the Suppression of the Pine Blister Rust in North 

 America about 30 representatives from the Department 

 of Agriculture and various states and Canadian provinces 

 were present. It was brought out that the blister rust 

 is probably worse in Northern than in Southern Europe, 

 and that it may, therefore, prove particularly destructive 

 in the Northern United States and Canada. Dr. Spauld- 

 ing, of the Office of Forest Pathology, stated that he be- 

 lieves the blister rust is more virulent on healthy, grow- 

 ing trees than on weaker ones. Wind is probably the 

 main agent in distributing the disease, but birds and in- 

 sects are also responsible. The disease is so firmly es- 

 tablished in New England and New York, and probably 

 in Ontario, as to make its eradication impossible. It is 

 more widely distributed in the Lake States than it was a 

 year ago, particularly in the St. Croix River Valley. So 

 far as known, it has not been introduced m the western 

 white or sugar pine regions. 



TVrOT everyone knows that the first Pennsylvanian to 

 really appreciate the value of forests was William 

 Penn himself. In 1681 he provided that for every five 

 acres cleared in Pennsylvania one acre should be left in 

 woods. 



DONATIONS TO THE LUMBER AND FOREST 

 REGIMENTS RELIEF COMMITTEE 



A MERICAN FORESTRY will publish each month 

 the list of those making donations to this fund since 

 the fifth of the preceding month. Practically all of the 

 donations so far received have been made without solicit- 

 ation and were inspired by reading in the magazine that 

 a relief and comfort fund for the men of the forest regi- 

 ments was to be started. 



Contributions to and including December 5, 1917, are 

 as follows : 



W. R. Brown, Berlin, N. H_ 



The Southern Lumberman, St. Louis, Mo. 

 L. H. Daloz. Boston, Mass.. 



$500 00 



.- 2503 



L. F. Beigham, Chestnut Hill, Mass IZZII^Z 12 00 



Wash. Heights Century Club, Wilmington, DeL.. 10.50 



Cleveland Oconee Lumber Co., Atlanta. Ga 10 00 



John C. Freund, New York City 10 00 



I. T. Beckwith, New York City _ I 10 00 



W. H. McElwee, Raleigh, N. C " 10 00 



W. D. M^rshon, Scjinaw. Mich I'lOO 



Clarence Hay, New York City _ _ _ 7 00 



Mrs. T. M. Ives. New York City.. 7 00 



C. I. McNair, Cloquet, Minn """ 7 00 



F. R. Thorns, New York City _.. _ 7 00 



Frederick R. Simms. Chislehurst, EngiaridZ."...,.!.' 6 50 



F. A. Chace, Fall River, Mass _ _.. 5 00 



Dover, Del., Century Club '_!" 5 00 



Newark, Del., New Century Club..__ 5 00 



Acorn Club, Sea ford, Del _ 5 00 



Mrs. Wm. R. Cabot, Boston, Mass .11...........1.I 4.00 



Miss Harriet Fearing, Baltimore, Md _ 4 00 



Miss Anna G. Bard, Huenema, Cal..... _ _ 2 00 



Mrs. James H. Beal, Boston, Mass 2 00 



Miss Bertha G. Brooks, New York City _. _. 2 OU 



Miss G. S. Cary, Boston, Mass _ 2 00 



Miss C. G. Curris, Intervale. N. H ."!". 2 00 



Mrs. Geo. H. Hosmer, Ithaca, N. Y 2 00 



Miss Lucy Lewis Hav, Philadelphia _ ~ 100 



Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Lesh, Newton Center, Mass_ 101 



Wm. S. Perot, Conshohocken, Pa _ _ 1.00 



Total - — _ : $687.00 



THE FOREST FIRE SEASON 



'T'AKEN as a whole, the forest fire season of 1917 has 

 been the most serious throughout the West since 

 1910. Not since that year has the Forest Service been 

 put to so severe a test. California escaped with less 

 damage than the Northwest, where 7,688 fires were re 

 ported, entailing an expenditure of $1,825,000 for fire 

 protection. In August the Governor of Oregon placed 

 detachments of troops throughout the state where incen- 

 diary fires were prevalent, and closed the hunting season 

 after it had been open for a week. In the State of Wash- 

 ington the forest fire wardens controlled bad fires at the 

 expense of those responsible for their origin, a measure 

 which was said to prove very effective. 



'T'HE California Packing Corporation of San Francisco 

 -*- was awarded the sale of 233,000,000 feet of timber on 

 the Norval Flat-McCoy chance on the Lassen National 

 Forest. Three bids were received, that of the successful 

 competitor being 10 cents per thousand above the mini- 

 mum. The prices to be paid are: For yellow, Jeffrey, and 

 sugar pine, on the Norval Flat, $2.35; on the McCoy- 

 chance, $3.00; for fir on both, 50 cents per thousand. 



