methods of operating tree nurseries have been 

 revolutionized. Every deleterious pest has been 

 energetically abated and every devastating dis- 

 ease successfully combatted until our tree nur- 

 series now prosper practically without loss 



)06 an arrangement was made between the 

 U. S. Forest iService at Washington, D. C., and the 

 Forest, Fish and Game Commission of New York 

 for the establishment and maintenance of a co- 

 operative nursery, one-half the expense to be borne 

 by the federal government. A site of two acres 

 was accordingly selected on a small plateau just 

 east of the Saranac state nursery. The area was 

 increased in 1907 to four and two-tenths acres. 

 This was in close proximity to the tree garden 

 already established, and therefore could be econom- 

 ically handled. This co-operative nursery was in- 

 tended for experimental work. The U. S. Forest 

 Service sent several installments of trees, which 

 contained among other species the incense cedar 

 California white fir, European larch, Douglas 

 spruce, and pines known as the Jeffrey, Austrian 

 and sugar pine. Much of the sowing was done 

 broadcast. Norway pine and Scotch pine were 

 sown in drills four inches apart to test some ques- 

 tions as to the best way of making a seed bed. Ex- 

 periments were conducted to ascertain the proper 

 density of seedlings. A portion of the area of this 

 nursery was devoted to transplant beds. 



Wawbeek and Axton nurseries came under di- 

 rect state administration after the 'Cornell College 

 of Forestry disbanded on account of financial diffi- 

 culties in 1903. The reason for which these nur- 

 series was originally designed had been removed; 

 they were allowed to lie idle for three years, and 

 then the state cleaned them up, saving and remov- 

 ing the stock. The Axton nursery was so far re- 

 moved from denuded areas which might be refor- 

 ested that an expensive cartage charge was neces- 

 sitated in case any use was made of the trees. 

 It was, therefore, abandoned in 1908. Wawbeek 

 was also abandoned for much the same reason in 



the writer) of a law which enabled the commis- 

 sion to establish additional tree gardens for the 

 purpose of furnishing citizens of the state with 

 trees at cost, such trees to be planted under direc- 

 tions and regulations of the Forest, Fish and Game 

 Commission. Under this law 28,000 trees were 

 sold to a few citizens the same year the statute 

 became operative, the next year, 1909, 1,200,000, 

 and in 1910, 2,400,000; thus an important move- 

 ment was set on foot, which will eventually in- 

 crease our forest acreage and transform large 

 tracts of idle, undeveloped, unprofitable land into 

 valuable timber property. Many have taken ad- 

 vantage of this opportunity to reforest waste farm 

 land; some with the idea of adding to the aesthetic 

 values of their possessions, and others looking to 

 the more material benefits, such as conserving the 

 regularity of stream flow and the production of 

 merchantable timber. 



In June, 1908, a new nursery was erected at 

 Salamanca, N. Y. A tract of land containing five 

 and one-tenth acres was purchased and subse- 

 quently increased to eleven and one-tenth acres 

 The soil here is naturally adapted to tree propaga- 

 tion, specially white pine. The valley along the 

 Alleghany River at Salamanca was originally cov- 

 ered with a magnificent pine and hemlock forest. 

 The soil is a sandy loam with good gravel drain- 

 age underneath. 



It might be well to describe in part this nur- 

 sery, as it represents the culmination of our ex- 

 perience in the work in 'New York. A wire fence 

 forty-six inches high, fastened on seasoned chest- 

 nut posts placed one rod apart surrounds the lot. 

 Over the fence is placed a barbed wire. The wire 

 meshes are closely woven at the bottom to prevent 

 fowls and animals gaining an entrance to the 

 grounds. Trees of various species, which in their 

 mature growth present an ornamental effect, are 

 placed along the line of the fence about five _feet 

 apart, to form a wind-break and afford general 

 protection to the nursery. Two large iron gates 



Tree Nursery at Salamanca, N. Y. Three Years Old. 



the spring of 1909. Besides, the soil there was 

 not at all satisfactory, it being too heavy and 

 damp. Another and more appropriate site with 

 an area of ten and one-quarter acres was selected 

 for a rearing ground at Lake Clear. Soil condi- 

 tions were favorable, and it was close to the nur- 

 series at Saranac Inn, which permitted the work- 

 ing out of an economy in administrative expense. 



Furnishing Trees to Citizens at Cost. 



A new departure was made in forestry matters 

 in 1908 by the promulgation (at the suggestion of 



open into the enclosure, one is wide enough to 

 admit teams and the other is used for pedestrians. 

 Irrigation equipment consists of a two-inch pipe 

 line running through the middle of the tract, from 

 which one inch laterals extend in opposite direc- 

 tions on either side of the main at intervals o 

 forty feet; vents are located every forty-two feet 

 along these lateral pipes, which permit of a thor- 

 ough sprinkling of the entire area. A six-thousand- 

 gallon galvanized tank, elevated on an iron tower 

 twenty-seven feet high is used for storing water 

 and provides an excellent pressure. Water is 



