1536 



AMERICAN FORESTRY 



others. In Bassariscus we have the ring-tail Bassaris ; 

 also B. suiniclirasti of Central America, and possibly oth- 

 ers. Bassaricyon is not represented in our fauna, neither 

 is Cercoleptes of South and Central America. Nasua 

 contains the coatis and coati-mundis, and of these Flower 

 recognized two species, the Mexican coati (N. narica) 

 and the South American species, N. rufa. It is claimed 

 that the first named has occurred over the Mexican 

 boundary line, in the southwestern part of the United 

 States. 



In the true racoons the body is rather stout, with 

 the head broad posteriorly, but tapering to a pointed 

 muzzle anteriorly. The feet are plantigrade and their 

 soles without hair ; toes all free and capable of being 

 spread wide apart, especially in the case of the fore- 

 feet. Claws are non-retractile, curved, compressed, and 

 acute. The cylindrical tail is moderately long, an- 

 nulated, and inclined to be bushy. Pelage somewhat 

 long, coarse, and thick. The ears are rather short. 



The Bassaricus somewhat resembles the true ra- 

 coons, but the body is more elegantly proportioned, and 

 slenderer. In the short head the muzzle is markedly 

 pointed. The tail is longer and conspicuously annulated ; 

 the ears are large. The soles of the feet are hairy but the 

 pads are hairless. 



The species of the cogenus Nasua depart considerably 

 from the general form and appearance of the typical 

 racoon ; both head and body are elongated and some- 

 what laterally compressed. The non-prehensile, annu- 

 lated tail is also long and tapering, while the muzzle is 

 mobile and inclined to be turned up. 



CUTTING WOOD FOR FUEL 



"ly/T ANY farmers now have their home supplies of 

 - L " J - wood for winter fuel, but the town markets will 

 keep active for several months, and thousands of cords 

 of wood will still be cut for local use on the farm. 



In cutting cordwood, an excellent opportunity is af- 

 forded to improve the woodland by removing the poorer, 

 less valuable trees, leaving the better ones to grow. Many 

 farmers who have never before given this subject a 

 thought are taking a real interest, because they see how 

 quickly nature responds in better growth when given a 

 little guidance and aid. 



The kinds of material to be removed for firewood in- 

 clude the old trees unsuitable for lumber, crooked trees 

 crowding out straight ones, badly diseased and decaying 

 trees, small trees overtopped and stunted by larger and 

 better ones, dead trees that are mostly sound, tree tops 

 left from former cuttings, and trees of the less valuable 

 kinds, where others of greater value are present which 

 need the room and will prove faster money-making trees. 

 Handling farm woodlands rightly is an indispensable 

 part of profitable farm management. 



If lists of manufacturers or other information are 

 desired regarding portable wood-sawing outfits, and 

 wood-splitting and tree- felling machinery, the Forest 

 Service of the Department of Agriculture will be glad 

 to furnish such material upon request. 



NURSERYMAN BELIEVES IN DYNAMITE 



BY O. B. STRAYER 



'T'HERE is considerable controversy in the agricultural 

 papers as to whether it pays to use dynamite in tree 

 planting in the sandy loam soils of Southern Alabama, 

 where a great deal of pecan and satsuma orange planting 

 is going on. Ordinarily I should say that it does not 

 pay, because the open-soil types do not need blasting. 

 However, I find that the J. M. Kroner Nursery, of Theo- 

 dore, Alabama, does not agree with this view. They use 

 and recommend dynamite in their tree-planting opera- 

 tions. 



Not only that, but they have used it to subsoil their 

 nursery plots, and claim to have gotten excellent results 

 from the practice. 



However, there is a reason for that that may not exist 

 in all parts of the region. A little way beneath the sur- 

 face of the soil there is around here a thin layer of hard- 

 pan. Sometimes it will not be over three inches thick. 

 It is very seldom found to be over 15 or 18 inches in 

 thickness. Nevertheless, it is very impervious to mois- 

 ture, and it is difficult for the feeding roots of young 

 trees to penetrate it. It is to break up this layer of hard- 

 pan that Mr. Kroner advocated blasting. He says that 

 the trees they have planted on these hardpan soils have 

 done exceptionally well as a result of the treatment ; 

 when dynamite has not been used, and the hardpan comes 

 up close to the surface of the ground, shallow, lateral- 

 rooting of the trees has resulted, and many of them have 

 been difficult to cultivate and others have died from 

 lack of moisture. 



Shallow-rooting is a habit of the satsuma orange tree. 

 Nevertheless, the roots do not want to come up so close 

 to the surface that the top soil cannot be cultivated. 



As for the pecan, of course, everybody knows it is a 

 tap-rooted tree, and if it is to do well it is absolutely 

 necessary that it should be able to send its roots down 

 deep into the soil. If a layer of hardpan prevents that, 

 the tree is almost certain to be a sickly specimen, assum- 

 ing that it lives at all. 



FIGHT WOODS FIRES 



Forest destruction is quick — forest growth is 

 slow. 



Everybody loses when timber burns. The forest 

 exerts an influence that modifies local extremes of 

 heat and cold and benefits crops, live stock, and man. 



Burned timber pays no wages — keep the forest 

 productive. 



Take no chances with lighted matches, burning 

 cigarettes or pipe ashes, brush fires, or camp fires. 



A tree will make a million matches — a match 

 may waste a million trees. 



When a fire is discovered, put it out if you can. 

 Get help if you need it. 



Are you practicing fire prevention and forest 

 protection? 



