1332 



AMERICAN FORESTRY 



These mountain streams are also well stocked with 

 trout planted there by the rangers. The minnows are 



BUILDING A TRAIL DNDER DIFFICULTIES 



Frequently, in order to maintain the proper grade of a trail, it is necessary 

 lo remove obstructions nf various kinds, such as trees, rocks, and even 

 immense boulders, sometimes larger than the ordinary dwelling house. 

 In the last case, this is accomplished only by the use of dynamite. 



furnished by the state fish hatcheries and are sent out 

 in 10-gallon milk cans, which the ranger takes up the 

 streams on eight or ten pack horses. And thus, the 

 supply of trout is renewed each year and is ever abun- 

 dant for the campers. 



In some of the National Forests, the rangers have 

 attempted to secure the utilization of wild fruits in their 

 communities by organizing picnics for the purpose of 

 gathering these fruits. In the mountains of the South- 

 west, there are large quantities of wild grapes and 

 cherries which make excellent jellies, while in Wash- 

 ington and Oregon, wild strawberries and huckleberries 

 are found in great abundance. 



But the chief duty of the ranger is to guard the for- 

 ests from fires and fight them when they occur. During 

 the course of the fire season, there are sometimes as 

 many as 500 

 fires in a dis- 

 trict, ranging 

 in size from a 

 few square feel 

 to hundreds of 

 acres. Owing 

 to the unusu- 

 ally dry sea- 

 son and the 

 many lo<;a;ins. 



operations now 

 located adjoin- 

 i n g national 

 forest tiniljer. 

 the number of 

 forest fires, and 

 danger from 



them has greatly increased. You will wonder how so 

 many fires could be started in the forests, far from human 

 habitation. These are the three chief causes : railroads, 

 campers and lightning. 



It would be impossible to properly guard the forest 

 were it not for that modern miracle, the telephone. 

 There are from 40 to lOO miles of telephone line in each 

 National Forest, extending along the principal tracks 



RANGER COUNTING SHEEP 

 A band of sheep at Dutch Joe Corral. Bridger National Forest, Wyoming. 



READING SNOW SCALE 



This is important since the amount of snow fall determines to a great 

 extent the fire hazard for the following summer, as well as the supply 

 of water available for irrigation purposes. 



used by miners, campers, etc., and on up to the lookout 

 stations on the mountain tops. Three of these lookout 

 stations are situated on mountains over 10,000 feet high, 

 which for 2,000 feet from the top are perpetually covered 



with ice and 

 snow and re- 

 semble huge ice 

 cream cones. 

 -And there, 

 t h o usands of 

 feet beyond the 

 limber line, in 

 little cabins, or 

 1 o o k o ut sta- 

 tions, car ried 

 piece by piece 

 iq) the steep 

 mountain 

 trail, men are 

 stationed a 1 1 

 through the 

 fire season to 



