BUREAU OF iORESTKY. 135 



consent of the Secretary of the Interior, the Department of Agricul- 

 ture will establish nurseries and undertake forest planting on these 

 reserves. Preparation for the work was begun this spring, and simi- 

 lar work on other reserves is about to begin, 



SAND DUNES. 



Work on the control of sand dunes by forest planting was begun 

 for the first time during the past year. Dune control has become 

 important in several parts of the country where serious damage is 

 threatened to valuable property by the encroachment of sand. In 

 southern Virginia and niorthern North Carolina a chain of immense 

 sand dunes stretches north and south along the coast. These dunes 

 are moving slowly landward, and within the last few years have 

 become dangerous to the United States life-saving stations and to 

 private property of large value. Last fall, at the request of a num- 

 ber of private owners, the Bureau made an examination of a district 

 in Currituck County, N. C, and began work at one point to fix the 

 drifting sand sufficiently to permit forest planting. In cooperation 

 with the owners of the land, board fences and other structures were 

 erected to alter the course of the most threatening dunes and to clear 

 the superfluous sand from a plain about certain valuable buildings. 

 The work was so successful that this spring the ground was in condi- 

 tion for the planting of beach grass, which is being used temporarily 

 as a cover. With a fair growth of grass this season, forest planting 

 on from 30 to 50 acres may be begun next sjjring. The forest, besides 

 protecting the buildings, will yield a much-needed supply of fuel. 

 At other points in the same district, which extends 80 miles along the 

 coast, the Bureau is now giving similar aid. In addition to its direct 

 use thiswork will have great value as an object lesson in dealing with 

 the sand. 



An investigation is also being made of the dunes formed by the 

 drift sand along the Columbia River in Washington and Oregon. 

 The dunes are destroying valuable orchards and rich agricultural 

 lands. They form serious hindrances to transportation along the 

 lines of the Northern Pacific Railway and the Oregon Railroad and 

 Navigation Company. After a careful examination the Bureau will 

 attempt to devise methods for controlling the movement of the sand. 

 The Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company is assisting in the 

 investigation. 



EXPENDITURES. 



The expenditures of the section of tree planting for the year were 

 $16,616.80, or 8.9 per cent of the total appropriation. Of this amount 

 53 per cent was for salaries and 47 per cent for field expenses. 



WORK FOR THE ENSUING YEAR. 



The work in cooperative planting is giving highly satisfactory results 

 and will continue unchanged. Increased attention will also be paid 

 to protective planting, especially in the Eastern States. 



Preparations for extensive planting on the Dismal River and Nio- 

 brara forest reserves in Nebraska will be pushed forward as rapidly 

 as possible. Seed beds and nurseries are being put in readiness. A 

 large collection of seed will l)e made this fall and nursery woi-k will 

 begin. Examinations will be made of other forest reserves, notably 



