ANNUAL REPORT ON YO SEMITE 

 NATIONAL PARK 



THIRTY-FIVE miles of new trail 

 have been built in Yosemite 

 Park during the last year, ac- 

 cording to the annual report of 

 the superintendent, recently made to 

 Secretary Lane. There are now in the 

 park 578 miles of trail and 147 miles of 

 wagon road. 



"In order to protect the big trees from 

 fire," says the superintendent, "approxi- 

 mately 80 acres of the upper grove of the 

 Mariposa Big Trees have been cleared 

 of debris, fallen timber, and jungle 

 growth of shrubs and young yellow 

 pines and firs. Sixty acres of this tract 

 were cleared some years ago while the 

 grove was under the control of the 

 State of California. 



"In order to thoroughly safeguard 

 this portion of the national park from 

 fire the work should be continued next 

 year and succeeding years until both 

 groves are cleared and a fire brake con- 

 structed on the eastern boundary. This 

 clearing process should be extended to 

 the Touiumne Grove of Big Trees 

 where it is much needed. 



"On October 30, 1913, there was 

 planted on both sides of the road 



extending from the Sentinel Bridge to 

 Kenneyville on the north side of the 

 Merced River, a row of sequoia seed- 

 lings. The rows were placed 104 feet 

 apart, the trees in each row 80 feet 

 apart. Another line of sequoias was 

 planted on the northern border of the 

 woods which grow in the southern part 

 of the meadow lying west of the village. 



"On the same date a party of en- 

 thusiasts planted six sequoia seedlings 

 in a semicircle around the front of the 

 Le Conte Lodge. There has also been 

 planted on both sides of the road 

 between Camp Ahwahnee and Pohono 

 Bridge, at suitable places, sugar-pine 

 seedlings, rows and plants at suitable 

 distance apart. Likewise have sugar- 

 pine seedlings been planted near the 

 river along the meadow below the mouth 

 of the Yosemite Creek. 



"October 30 has been designated as 

 "Arbor Day " for the Yosemite National 

 Park, and the avenue from the Sentinel 

 Bridge to Kennyville has been named 

 "Sequoia Lane." A future generation 

 will there observe the most beautiful 

 avenue in the world." 



THE FIRE FOOL 



(With apologies to Rudyard Kipling) 



A fool there was and he flung a match 



Even as you and I, 



Carelessly down on a sundried patch 



Giving no heed that a fire might catch 



And spread to the timber with quick dispatch. 



Even as you and I. 



The fool returned on his way and found 

 Even as you and I, 



Ashes and embers all over the ground, 

 And far in the distance with horrible sound 



156 



The fire consuming the timber around, 

 Started when he went by. 



The fool passed on with a wondering look 

 Even as you and I. 

 He couldn't explain the fire that took 

 The forest away, and dried the brook, 

 And left the region a place forsook; 

 He was a fool— that's why. 



A. G. Jackson in Seattle Sun. 



