FORESTRY. 243 



from the forest reserves; (2) from 18!J7 to the transfer of these forest reserves 

 to the Forest Service of the Department of Agriculture on February 1, 1905; 

 (3) from 1005 to the present time since the transfer of these forests to the 

 Forest Service. The influence of each of these periods on the condition of the 

 cut-over land and on the kind of forest that such land will produce is discussed 

 and the measures by which the Forest Service aims to establish reproduction on 

 these cut-over areas are briefly stated. 



Chestnut oak in the southern Appalachians, H. D. Fostf;r and W. W. Ashe 

 {V. N. Dcpt. Ayr., Forest Scrv. Circ. 135, pp. 5-23). — This circular deals with 

 the botanical and commercial distribution of the chestnut oak, the extent and 

 character of the present stand, the wood and its uses, sylvical characteristics 

 and requirements, reproduction, susceptibility to Injuries and management. 



The chestuut oak grows In rocky exposed situations where white oak and 

 other more valuable hardwoods will not thrive, hence aside from its timber 

 value, it is considered important as a protective covering on the steeper slopes. 

 Owing to its sprouting ability and comparatively rapid sprouting growth, it is 

 advised that the chestnut oak be grown as a coppice forest, particularly for the 

 pr(iducti<)n of ties. 



Notes on forest and ornamental trees on the grounds of the Agricultural 

 and Mechanical College of Texas, II. Ness (Texas Sta. Bui. 105, pp. 3-1 'i, pis. 

 10). — The station has grown in its arboi'etum and on the campus a large num- 

 ber of trees, representing several genera, of which the principal are ash, birch, 

 beech, box elder, eatalpa, chestuut, China tree, elm, hackberry, Japan varnish 

 tree, locust, linden, magnolia, maple, mulberry, poplar, sycamore, sweet gum, 

 willow, walnut, arbor vit:e, red cedar, cypress, and pine. Notes are given on 

 the behavior of these various trees under the soil and climatic conditions of 

 that region, together with some general observations on tree growth, trans- 

 planting oaks and conifers, and subsequent care. 



The greater number of the fast-growing soft-wooded trees, which confine 

 their roots almost exclusively to the surface soil, proved to be failures. Such 

 trees make a continuous, rapid growth under moist conditions in the spring, 

 but this growth is checked by a few weeks of drought before the newly formed 

 tissues have become sufficiently hardened to withstand the strong transpiration, 

 and as a result the leaves fall off prematurely and the extremities of the shoots 

 die in August and September. The hardwood deciduous trees and many of the 

 conifers, which have an intermittent growth, appear to Ite well adapted to 

 endure in regions with an irregular supply of moisture. 



The physical characteristics of the hardwoods of Australia, G. A. .Julius 

 [Perth: Govt., 1907, pp. 6, pJs. 21). — This report, supplementary to the report 

 of some 16,000 tests of Western Australian timber made in 1906 (E. S. R., 19, 

 p. 42), gives results of some 8,800 tests of Eastern Australian hardwoods. The 

 tests were made for cross-bending, end and cross compression and hardness at 

 both 12 per cent moisture and when green, and of direct strength in tension and 

 shearing, being conducted upon the same machinery and in the same manner 

 as those of the previous year. Plates are given representing graphically the 

 strength of the various timbers at all degrees of seasoning, together with com- 

 parative data of all the tests conducted during 1905, 1906, and 1907, thus in- 

 cluding practically all the commercial hardwoods of Australasia. 



In regard to the strength of the hardwoods as compared at 12 per cent 

 moisture, the first 9 species in order of their strength were Yate, Ironbark, 

 Salmon Gum, Tuart, Wandoo, Morrell, York Gum, Grey Box, and Karri. It is 

 pointed out that all of these are native to Western Australia except Ironbark^ 

 and Grey Box, which were obtained from New South Wales. 



