24 



of nursery and planting operations, seedlings on hand, and condition of planta- 

 tions, are to be filled out in duplicate on May 15 and November 1 each year. 

 One set is to be sent to Washington and the other retained for the station files. 



Planting Plans. 



An examination of the lands of the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company 

 in Monroe, Carbon, and Schuylkill counties, Pa., has been completed by A. S. 

 Peck. These comprize four separate tracts of about 60,000 acres and offer an 

 interesting variety of forest conditions. 



The Monroe County lands are held to protect the headwaters of the Lehigh 

 River. Most of this region has been denuded of merchantable species, so that 

 forest planting is necessary, and in order to make this practicable the fire 

 danger must be reduced. The planting plan for about 1,100 acres in the vicinity 

 of Tobyhanna, Pa., already submitted to the company, provides for the planting 

 of Scotch pine, shortleaf pine, red pine, pitch pine, white pine, European larch, 

 Norway spruce, tamarack, and red oak, with a view to demonstrating the best 

 treatment for the remainder of the lands in this region. Its recommendations 

 include a fire patrol, the clearing .of fire lines, the use of old roads in fire fight- 

 ing, and the building of a watch tower. 



The Carbon County and Schuykill County lands are naturally favorable for 

 chestnut, red oak, European larch, and Scotch pine. The demand for timber 

 of all sizes for use in the mines will make forest planting profitable, provided 

 that fire is prevented. A report will be submitted later recommending planting 

 for a small typical area capable of being protected from fire at slight expense. 

 It will be advised that a forester be employed to have full charge of this tract 

 and to assist the superintendent of the Monroe County lands, who has himself 

 had some training in practical forestry. 



Special Studies. 



The study of tree planting in agricultural regions in California, in coopera- 

 tion with the State, is practically completed. S. J. Flintham, who has been 

 engaged in this work, is now preparing a report on eucalyptus planting, which 

 is part of the general planting study, and before returning to Washington will 

 secure the additional data needed for a report on planting on nonagricultural 

 lands. 



FOREST PRODUCTS. 



Telephone Pole Treatments. 



A series of experiments are now in progress at Escanaba, Mich., to further 

 test the . open-tank method for treating telephone poles. Arborvitse poles are 

 now being tried to supplement last year's tests on chestnut and white cedar. 

 An average penetration of three-fourths of an inch, with a maximum of over 

 an inch, has already been secured on the arborvitse. 



Brush treatments with carbolineum and creosote are also being tried on the 

 arborvitae poles. At the completion of this series of tests these poles will be 

 set in an experimental line for the purpose of obtaining comparative results. 



