NEWS AND NOTES. 

 E. A. Sterling, In Charge. 



Rapid development of irrigation projects throughout the West 

 greatly broadens the field of farm forestry^ particularly planting. 

 In all of the newly irrigated regions windbreaks and shelterbelts 

 will be needed for the protection of crops and stock, and the only 

 assurance of a cheap wood supply will be the farm woodlot. Un- 

 assisted, settlers will plant inferior species and use wrong methods, 

 repeating the mistakes of the early settlers on the praisies of the 

 Middle West. To assist the settlers in planting the best kinds of 

 trees in the best way the Forest Service is making a study of the 

 possibilities of planting, and has arranged for the withdrawal of 

 land for experimental planting on six respective projects. 



The field study has been completed in the Truckee-Carson and 

 North Platte projects and in the South Platte Valley, and reports 

 are in preparation covering the subject of tree planting by the 

 settlers, and by the Government along canals and on waste lands 

 which have been withdrawn by the Reclamation Service. Detailed 

 plans have also been prepared for the experimental planting on 

 these projects. The aim will be to place in the hands of every 

 settler a circular telling him what and where to plant and how 

 to care for his plantation when established. As a practical demon- 

 stration of the possibilities of forest planting in the region he will 

 have the experimental tract on which trees of various species will 

 be planted on different situations and by various methods. 



Even with the great variety of trees growing naturally in the 

 United States it is difl5cult to find species fully adapted for plant- 

 ing in many portions of the West, where tree growth is wanting 

 and urgently needed. Several exotic trees have been tried in 

 southern California and in southern New Mexico, but the one 

 which gives greatest promise is the Cedrus deodara. The seeds 

 are somewhat difficult to germinate in the nursery, but once started 

 the seedlings are vigorous and easily handled. When transplanted 

 into the mountains of southern California reserves they have with- 



