Forest Planting in National Forests. 135 



take upon himself some of the active duties of life because he 

 cannot know beforehand to what extent reasonable ventures will 

 prove successful. 



2. The Pocatello Planting Station. 



Clinton G. Smith. 



From an economic standpoint, this Station is one of the most 

 promising Planting Stations in operation by the Federal Govern- 

 ment. It is located in Southeastern Idaho, upon the Pocatello 

 District of the National Forest of that name, which was pro- 

 claimed as a Forest Reserve by President Roosevelt, September 



3. I903- 



This area was formerly included within the Fort Hall Indian 

 Reservation, which was partially opened to settlement June 17, 

 1902. 



Immediately after the opening of the Reservation, sheep and 

 cattle, which had been previously excluded, were driven upon 

 this area in large numbers, with a resulting pollution of the water 

 supply of the City of Pocatello, and threatened shortage of water 

 as a result. Cause and effect were obvoius and this Forest was 

 created in response to the urgent petition of the citizens of Poca- 

 tello. 



On assuming charge of this area of 50,000 acres, the Forest 

 Service began a protective administration, to exclude stock and 

 to prevent forest fires, and more than this, active forest exten- 

 sion on this important area has been planned and actually begun. 

 A small nursery was established in 1905, and continued to the 

 opening of last season, when this was made a permanent Plant- 

 ing Station. The results of the first three years showed that it 

 was technically as well as economically, possible to raise seedlings 

 and to make plantations thrive, but it was not practicable to do so 

 without the constant attendance of a practical nursery man, dur- 

 ing all periods of growth of the seedlings. In order to make this 

 worth while, the capacity of the nursery, first rated at 500,000 

 plants, was increased during the coming season to 1,000,000 

 plants. 



The success of this nursery seems assured from an economic 



