DANGER SEASON IN THE WEST 



871 



Due to the high percentage of success with white pine, 

 Norway spruce and white ash, it has been decided that 

 future planting will be confined to these three species, 

 the Norway spruce and white pine in mixture. 



During the spring of 1915, 9,000 trees, consisting of 

 4,000 white pine four-year transplants, 3,000 Norway 

 spruce three-year transplants and 2,000 white ash one- 

 year seedlings, were planted. 



The white ash is planted in the creek bottom lands, 

 while the evergreens are confined to the sloping lands 

 above. 



The planting of the 9,000 trees referred to cover ap- 

 proximately twenty acres and the work was done 



chiefly with ordinary labor and fire rangers. The total 

 cost of the trees and planting was less than $200, or 

 approximately $10 per acre. 



A forestry department, such as outlined above, can 

 be maintained from revenue derived from the sale of 

 timber previously wasted, and the incalculable benefit 

 from systematic reforestation and the conservation of 

 growing timber is not only of great importance to the 

 water shed, but will yield a handsome source of reve- 

 nue in the future, and at the same time will slowly change 

 the present mountain sides, almost barren of tree growth, 

 to a thriving forest. 



North Carolina's Action 



MEMBERS of the North Carolina Forestry As- 

 sociation, at their meeting at Montreat, N. C, 

 in July, passed resolutions earnestly advocating 

 the continued purchases of forest reserves in the White 

 Mountains and Southern Appalachians and the appropri- 

 ation by Congress of $2,000,000 a year for this purpose 

 during the next five years. 



These resolutions stated that as the purchase of moun- 

 tain lands in the East, under the Weeks Law, is of na- 

 tional benefit in securing a perpetual growth of forest 

 on the watersheds of navigable streams, thereby preserv- 

 ing water-powers and navigation on these streams as well 

 as a continuance of a timber growth for industrial pur- 

 poses, and, as under recent legislation these lands are 

 open to the public for camping and residence purposes, 

 thus affording facilities of great value for pleasure, health 

 and recreation, that Senators and Representatives in Con- 

 gress be urged to give their support to the recommen- 

 dation of the National Forest Reservation Commission 

 for a further appropriation for this purposes. 



The North Carolina association also commended the 

 action of the American Forestry Association in calling 

 a meeting at Washington, D. C, on September 23 to pre- 

 sent to Secretary of Agriculture Houston arguments in 

 favor of Congress making an appropriation for the pur- 

 pose of Eastern forest reserves. Delegates will be ap- 

 pointed to attend this meeting. 



It was also decided to urge additional Congressional 

 appropriations for assisting the States in forest fire pro- 

 tective work and to urge a law giving the Federal Gov- 

 ernment authority to establish game preserves on Federal 

 Forest Reserves in North Carolina. 



The program of address covered practically every 

 phase of forest conservation and was most interesting 

 and the attendance was large. 



As a result of the conference on forest fire protection 

 it is expected to have several cooperative areas started 

 in the western part of the State during the coming fall. 



Danger Season in the West 



FEATURES of forest protection in the Pacific 

 Northwest this year are an appeal to the public 

 for assistance in preventing the smoke nuisance 

 which will otherwise prejudice the stream of visitors 

 going to and from the San Francisco Exposition and a 

 perfected system of dry wind forecasts by the U. S. 

 Weather Bureau which will be used by all protective 

 agencies. State officials and chambers of commerce are 

 sending out thousands of letters emphasizing the im- 

 portance of reducing the smoke evil. 



Reports for June received by the Western Forestry & 

 Conservation Association, the clearing house for all 

 private and official patrol .systems from Montana to Cali- 

 fornia, record practically no losses by forest fires up to 

 date, but no cessation of preparation for the danger 



months of July and August. Most of the patrol force is 

 already on and within a few days over 2,000 will be on 

 duty in the four Northwestern States. Favorable weather 

 in June has been used in pushing the building of trails 

 and telephone lines. 



July hazard that had to be guarded against, other than 

 from the usual carelessness with matches, cigarettes and 

 campfires, was chiefly in slash burning to clear land and 

 rights of way and in leaving fires thus started to smolder 

 in logs and stumps to break out later in hot windy 

 weather. Forest officers announce that State laws pro- 

 hibiting burning without permit and precaution will be 

 enforced rigidly and also warn summer camping parties 

 tc be extremely careful with campfires. 



