352 Forestry Quarterly. 



stood the drought with remarkable success, and promise to be an 

 important factor in reforesting the watersheds of this region. Of 

 the small number planted last year near Fort Bayard, N. Mex., 

 70 per cent have endured the season's drought. 



The old question of whether seeds from stunted trees will pro- 

 duce trees of like character is still open to question, but it seems 

 reasonable to assume that some such cause is at the bottom of the 

 poor development of Scotch pine in parts of the United States, 

 particularly in the Middle West. It is certainly true that much 

 of the seed offered by dealers is obtained from trees growing in 

 unfavorable situations on the continent of Europe, and that these 

 trees have not reached normal development for many generations. 

 To test hereditary influence of seed parentage, the Forest Service 

 has arranged to secure Scotch pine seed from the large, well-de- 

 veloped trees near Darmstadt and in the Spessart, and plant them 

 by the side of undescribed seed from American dealers and from 

 the smaller trees of France. The development of the seedlings 

 and of the trees in plantations will be carefully watched through 

 a long period of years. 



The plan of establishing small nurseries at all permanent rangers' 

 headquarters on the forest reserves has been carried into effect 

 during the summer. With few exceptions reserve officers are en- 

 thusiastic over this line of work, and it promises to bring about a 

 rapid increase in the amount of reserve planting at a very slight 

 expense. One of the main objects is the educational value of the 

 work to the rangers concerned, 'and at the same time it will greatly 

 increase the output of seedlings and give excellent opportunity 

 for experimental plantations on all of the reserves. Two hundred 

 and eighty sites suitable for such nurseries have been reported 

 upon by the supervisors, and a number of the nurseries have been 

 started under technical supervision. 



The forest reserves in the West cover practically all of the 

 important watersheds and naturally include many drainage basins 

 on which cities are dependent for their domestic water supply. It 



