FOREST SERVICE. 389 



Reforestation in Nebraska, owins: to the sandy and dry conditions 

 found there, has presented a very difficuh problem. The results of the 

 above and a large number of other experiments, however, demonstrate 

 the possibility of planting in all situations in the sandhills with a fair 

 degree of success. On south slopes it has been found that jack pine 

 or Aust rian pine is preferable, the former because of its rapid recovery 

 after transplanting and the latter because of its great vitahty and 

 drought resistance. Scotch pine has done well on north slopes because 

 of its lighter requirements for heat, and yellow pine has showTi its 

 adaptability to the bottoms and ridges where moisture conditions, 

 though low, are uniform. 



An exceedingly interesting experiment has been made in planting 

 eucalypts in southern California on land which naturall}* supports 

 only a dense growth of brush because of the limited supply of moisture. 

 During the winter of 1908-9 nearly 45 acres on the Angeles National 

 Forest, at an elevation of 1,200 feet, were planted to Eucah/jJius ros- 

 trata (red gum), E. rohnsta, and E. tereticornia. In spite of the fact 

 that on these chaparral-covered slopes the total annual precipitation 

 is only about 7 mches, the planted eucalypts made a fairly rapid 

 growth and withstood the exceptional drought of last summer. The 

 importance of this experiment lies in the fact that eucah'pts have 

 hitherto been planted in southern California chiefly upon low-lying 

 agricultural land, which could be irrigated and easily cultivated, so 

 that the rosidting protluct is rather an agricultural than a forest crop. 

 If dry, brush-covered slopes at moderate elevations can be success- 

 fully planted, an important addition will have been made to the eco- 

 nomic possibilities or the National Forests, and perhaps of other lands, 

 in southern California. At present the chaparral plays an important 

 part in the protection of the watersheds from erosion and in the water 

 economy of southern California, but has practically no economic value 

 in itself. Eucalyptus forests would protect the land at least as well 

 as chaparral, and perhaps even bettor. Even though the planting of 

 chaparral land to eucal}'pts by private individuals may never be 

 prontable, the public value of protective forests added to the value 

 of the timber, makes it of great moment to learn whether eucalypts 

 can be made to replace chaparral. 



The seed tests conducted during the winter of 1909-10 were: (1) 

 Tests of methods of germination; (2) tests of seed samples collected 

 on the National Forests in 1909 and sent to Washington for examina- 

 tion; and (3) germination tests of the samples placed in storage in 

 March, 1909. 



The tests of methods of germination gave inconclusive results. 

 The tests of approximately 100 National Forest seed samples gave 

 considerable material of scientific value. The germination tests of 

 samples placed in storage in 1909 demonstrated that, for at least three 

 tree species — Engelmann spiiice, lodgepole pine, and Douglas fir — 

 air-tiglit storage, in sealed glass jars, is mucii superior to an v other 

 method, no matter what the temj)erature of the place of storage, and 

 that a room heated in winter is superior to an unlieated room, doubt- 

 less o^\^ng to the greater dryness. It was also observed that the 

 samples stored in regions of dry climate gave higher germinations 

 than others. 



Of great importance as a means of attacking the almost countless 

 problems met with in Forest planting and Forest management are the 



