73 



AMERICAN FORESTRY 



portune to mention the findings in ex- but the price is prohibitive as shown by 



periments with various forms of fire- the following quotations from a large 



fighting equipment. The abundance of manufactory of rubber goods, 



water in the many running streams of Large double horse pack bags, $30.00 



the Ozarks has stimulated efforts to de- to $40.00 per pair. 



vise means for its conveyance to fires. Small shoulder pack bags, $15.00 to 



Since packing is unknown on the forest $30.00 each. 



animals, metal tanks were soon aban- The method of the application of 

 doned. Collapsible canvas bags de- water, however, has been solved for 

 signed to be thrown over ordinary extinguishing burning logs, stumps, 

 Texas saddles and to be carried on a etc., safeguarding back fire line when 

 and impracticable through lack of pack within easy reach of a water supply, 

 man's shoulders have been the object For this purpose the standard Forest 

 of development. Where water is Service canvas water bucket has been 

 plentiful there is no question as to the modified by the attachment of a can- 

 feasibility of conveying it in sufficient vas hood across three-fourths of the 

 quantities on horseback to be of im- top with perforated crescent-shaped 

 mense benefit in combating fires, but metal plates at the joint edge. With 

 the difficulty which has not been over- this contrivance, which is light and can 

 come is the prevention of leakage at be carried in great numbers to a fire, 

 seams and through the fabric itself, water can be readily applied as with a 



Various weights of canvas, combina- 

 tion of weights, water-proofing liquids, 

 and methods of construction have all 

 failed. It is essential that leakage be 



garden sprinkling can. 



In making a fire line in hardwood 

 leaves two implements have proven 

 their worth, the ordinary so-called five- 



prevented because during cold weather fined potato digger, hook or rake, 

 both man and beast must be dry. The which is a standard agricultural tool. 

 South African water bag, which has and the wood broom, a specially con- 

 proven its merit in the Forest Service, structed device made from second 

 .is unsuited to the purpose since its ob- growth hickory or white oak. The 

 ject is to allow slow evaporation of its broom is formed by splitting the lower 

 contents for cooling purposes as in the end of the handle and spreading the 

 case of the earthen Mexican water bot- splits fanwise by means of wooden 

 tie. The only solution is a rubber bag bars and light wire to hold them. 



ELK FROM YELLOWSTONE PARK 



A LMOST 2,000 more people visited 

 / \ the Yellowstone Park in 1913 

 £ \ than during the season of 1912, 

 according to the report of the 

 Superintendent, recently made to Sec- 

 retary Lane. The tourist travel has in- 

 creased 45 per cent since 190G, and was 

 heavier in 1913 than ever before with 

 the exception of 1909, when the Lewis 

 and Clarke Exposition was held in 

 Portland. 



"The winter conditions for wild 

 game were again excellent," says the 

 Superintendent. "With plenty of grass, 

 and the snow remaining soft so they 

 could paw through it to get food, the 

 elk, deer, antelope and mountain sheep 

 wintered well and with but little loss." 



"During December, January, Febru- 

 ary, and March, 538 elk were captured 

 in the park near the northern entrance 

 and shipped for stocking public parks 

 and ranges as follows : SO to Kings 

 County, Wash. ; 50 to Yakima Countv, 

 Wash. ; 40 to Garfield County, Wash". ; 

 50 to Shasta County, Cal. ; 50 to Penn- 

 sylvania for Clinton and Clearfield 

 counties ; 50 to West Virginia ; 80 to 

 Arizona; 25 to Hot Springs. \'a. ; 3 to 

 City Park, Aberdeen, S. Dak. ; 4 to the 

 City Park at Boston, Mass. ; fi to the 

 City Park at Spokane, Wash. One 

 hundred were captured and shipped 

 under direction of the Department of 

 Agriculture, of which 25 went to Sun- 

 dance, Wyo. ; 25 to Estes Park. Colo. ; 



