. 33 



item shows that cutting operations on all National Forests are more or less at a 

 standstill on account of unfavorable weather conditions. The most important 

 sale of this month was that to the Greenlaw Lumber Company in the San 

 Francisco Mountains National Forest. The total amount of money to be paid 

 in this sale within five years is $315,000. 



Timber Sale Contract Forms 



The new form of Timber Sale Contracts 202 A and B, which supersedes 

 Form 821, has recently been issued, includes more regulations common to all 

 sales and more space to insert regulations necessary to meet special conditions. 

 It will save much of the time formerly used in drawing up contracts for large 

 sales. It is recommended that all supervisors hereafter use this form for all 

 Class B and C sales. Those having a supply of Form 821 may still use them for 

 Class A sales. 



OFFICE OF FOREST EXTENSION. 



Progress of the Germination Tests of Forest Tree Seeds 



The practical soil tests to determine the germination per cent of the forest 

 tree seeds that are to be planted this spring and the effect of different methods 

 of storage are progressing very satisfactorily. 



In a number of the seed flats sown in the latter part of February com- 

 paratively few seeds germinated and these damped off soon after coming up, 

 whereas adjacent flats sown at a later date showed a normal germination per 

 cent. 



This led to an investigation, which was conducted by Doctor Metcalf, of the 

 Bureau of Plant Industry, who upon microscopical examination of a number of 

 the damped-off seedlings and ungerminated seeds found that, they were affected 

 by a very destructive and stubborn fungus, which was not known to be present 

 in the greenhouse or to prevent the germination of tree seeds. 



A new test of the same species was undertaken at once with different soil and 

 the results have been very satisfactory. Over 50 per cent of the seeds have 

 germinated to date, and none have thus far given any indication of being af- 

 fected by a fungous disease. 



It is to be hoped that a series of experiments may be undertaken in coopera- 

 tion with the Bureau of Plant Industry to ascertain whether or not the soil 

 treatment thus far found so satisfactory in preventing different seeds of farm 

 crops from being affected by a fungous disease will not apply also in the case 

 of forest-tree seeds. 



Banger Station Diagrams 



Officers in charge are urged to exercise the utmost care in scanning all dia- 

 grams for Ranger Stations before they are sent in. 



A great deal of the work submitted heretofore has been so wrongly made up 

 that it could not be used. In many cases it has been necessary to return such 

 diagrams for correction, entailing much extra correspondence and delay. 



National Forest Order 23, Part 4, which was mailed April 27, tells exactly 

 how these diagrams are to be made up. The most ordinary errors are in not 

 using the tracing linen Form 878, and in not using India ink, though almost 

 every other conceivable evasion of the rules has been noted from time to time. 



