2/5 



Durinj^ the year a revision of the terms of cooperative assist- 

 ance was made to induce wider acceptance by small owners. 

 Up to the present time 380 planting plans have been made, of 

 which 49 were made diirinn;- the past year. 



Reserve planting during the year included the establishment 

 of nurseries in the Santa l^arbara and Gila River reserves, 

 broadcast sowing and field planting on the Black Hills Re- 

 serve, and field planting in the San Gabriel and Dismal River 

 reserves, besides the extension of previously established nur- 

 series. The ex])eriment in broadcast sowing in the Black Hills 

 is especially notable, because the results obtained now appear 

 to be entirely favorable and because success has never before 

 been gained under this method in this country. The signifi- 

 cance of this fact lies in the enormous difiference in the cost of 

 reforesting by sowing seed on ground not previously prepared 

 and of rearing and transplanting nursery stock for large areas. 



By the completion of the cooperative study conducted in the 

 State of California valuable information was secured concern- 

 ing the relation of chaparral to water conservation and forest 

 renewal and concerning fire protection. 



FOREST PRODUCTS. 



Lines of cooperative work now completed have brought defi- 

 nite and important results in introducing preservative treat- 

 ment as a means of increasing the durability of ties, and there- 

 by decreasing the drain upon the forests. The results give 

 good reason for the belief that tie preservation will shortly 

 become practically universal. 



The study of the preservation of telegraph and telephone 

 poles promises further economies of the same kind. 



In timber tests, studies of red gum, red fir, western hem- 

 lock, and loblolly and longleaf pine have furnished facts which 

 will lead to the wiser use of these species and of structural 

 timber generally. Strength tests of woods for other purposes 

 have been begun, and methods have been prepared for the more 

 extensive prosecution of this very practical work ; but the full 

 utilization of the opportunity presented for public usefulness 

 must w^ait until the necessary facilities are provided. 



