FORESTRY. 669 



Annual rings of tree growth, E. I. Bogi e Mo. Weather Rev., . No. 6, 



jj/i. /.<", ?51 1. — The author reports an Investigation of the seasonal and annual rapidity 

 of growth of trees al Stillwater, Okla., between October 1 , L 898, and September, 1901. 



Twenty-seven trees were under observation during the entire time. Among them 

 were maples and various fruil trees, such as the plum, peach, cherry, apple, quince, 

 pear, Russian mulberry, and apricot. The increase in girth is shown in tabular form, 

 together with the rainfall by months, from which it appears thai the month of 

 maximum rainfall was also the month of maximum growth. It is concluded that in 

 genera] there is a direct relation between precipitation and tree growth. 



The use of commercial fertilizers in forestry, I". Giersberg Forstw. Centbl., 

 Yi {1905), No. 1, pp. 81 W . An account of forestry experiments in Belgium with 

 commercial fertilizers, a more « It 'tailed record of which is to appear later in pamphlet 

 form. < m poor Boils the use of fertilizers has 1mm mi found especially helpful. A num- 

 ber of examples are cited, one of which will serve to sho^ the general trend of all. 



A forest an-a in L893 was fertilized with 2,000 kg. of Thomas slag and 1,000 kg. of 

 kainit per hectare and planted. Nine years later the trees in this area had an aver- 

 age height of 3.1 meters, while in an area alongside which had been 10 years planted 

 the average height was bul L.8 meters. The results of fertilizer experiments 

 throughout Belgium the past L5 years have thoroughly established the use of com- 

 mercial fertilizers in forestry work, results being obtained in 20 years with fertilizers 

 which are hardly obtained in 30 years without their use. 



Besides the more rapid growth of the trees on the fertilized area- they appear 

 much less subject to attacks from insects and diseases than trees not fertilized, and in 

 transplanting, even in unfavorable weather, they are much more likely to live. 



Report of the conservator of forests, ( '. E. Legai I Transvaal Dept. Agr. Ann. 

 Rpt. 1904, pp. 821-844, pi- 1)- — An outline is given of the work of the year, including 

 an account of the government nurseries in different Localities, timber imported into 

 the Transvaal, seed distribution, etc. 



The natural evergreen forest of the Transvaal does not exceed in area 150,000 

 acres. All but the most inaccessible portions of this forest has been heavily worked 

 in past years. A list is given of the species actually found in the indigenous forests 

 up to date. 



A sylvicultural study of larch, A. Cieslab {Separate from Zentbl. Gesam. Forstw., 

 30 (1904) , Xo. 1, pp.27). — An account of the natural geographical distribution of the 

 Alpine and Siberian larches, of the larch canker, and of the culture of larch in mixed 

 forests. 



As showing the injurious effect of shade on the devolopment of larch seedlings, 



the author notes an experiment in which seedlings of larch, spruce, and black and 

 white pine were grown under lath shade and without shade. Counting the volume 

 growth of the larch seedlings in the open LOO, the growth of the spruce under shade 

 was •">4, black pine L'7, white pine 19, and larch 13. When spruce and Larch are 

 grown together the Bpruce develops slowly for a number of years, while the larch 

 shoots up rapidly. So long as the Larch is dominant the two thrive together, but in 

 from 20 to 40 years, when the spruce overtakes the Larch, the latter Boon succumbs. 



Much better results are obtained as regards Larch when it is grown with white 

 pine, since the white pine does uot become dominant until the larch has reached 

 merchantable size. The Larch also does well with red beech. 



Treatment of Scotch pine in the vicinity of Paris, L. PabdI Rev. Eaux el 

 Forest, 44 I 1905), Nos. 5, pp. 129-148; ff, pp. 161-178). A discussion of the common 

 method of growing Scotch pine I Pinus sylvestris) in the region about Paris. 



Fifty to 60 year rotations are advocated for this tree around Paris instead of Longer 

 periods. Artificial regeneration is perhaps more satisfactory, on the whole, than 

 natural restocking. Seed from trees 50 years old was found as valuable as seed from 

 trees 85 years old from the standpoint of percentage of germination. 



