[900. 



AMERICAN FORESTRY ASSOCIATION. 



In the Middle=West. 



W. L. Hall, assistant superintendent of 

 Tree Planting, returned the last week of 

 the year from a trip of two and a-half 

 months' duration through the states of 

 North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Ne- 

 braska, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. 

 Mr. Hall made a study of the forest plan- 

 tations of forty owners, the work consisting 

 of an examination of soil and sub-soil in 

 relation to fertility and moisture conditions, 

 the general forest conditions being studied 

 as well as those of the particular planta- 

 tions visited. A rough sketch was in 

 each case made of the original tract, upon 

 the basis of which will be made another 

 giving instructions for guidance in plant- 

 ing in the spring. This advice is fur- 

 nished free by the Division. Mr. Hall 

 will make an official report on his trip 

 which will detail the value of practical 

 work in tree planting, in which he found 

 a very general increase of interest through- 

 out his entire trip. 



In California. 



George B. Sudworth, Dendrologist of the 

 Division of Forestry, acting also in behalf 

 of the U. S. Geological Survey, made a 

 trip with a pack train through the Sierra 

 Nevada Mountains, Cal., from August ist 

 to November ist, making studies of the 

 forest tree species of the region in respect 

 to their areal and altitudinal distribution. 

 The intention is to map the distribution 

 and determine the relative importance and 

 the local and general use of the timber, 

 including manufactured and domestic use. 



Mr. Sudworth's work included also a 

 study of prices of timber and its general 

 consumption, a careful consideration of 

 the principal commercial timbers, the 

 areas which contain timber which could 

 be worked up by a sawmill, and the map- 

 ping of cut-over areas in the latter regions. 



A special study was made of forest fires 

 in this region, both in reference to the de- 

 struction of valuable commercial timber 

 and the effect of fires on reproduction. 



Pennsylvania Forestry Commission. 



A special meeting of the Forestry Com- 

 mission was held in the Executive Cham- 

 ber, Harrisburg, at 4 o'clock P. M., Jan- 

 uary 23d. There were present Governor 

 Stone, Messrs. Albert Lewis, of Luzerne 

 county, John Fulton, of Cambria county, 

 Hon. A. C. Hopkins, of Lock Haven, 

 Maj. Isaac B. Brown, Deputy Secretary 

 of Internal Affairs, and Dr. J. T. Roth- 

 rock, Commissioner of Forestry. By in- 

 vitation, Prof. John Hamilton, Secretary 

 of Agriculture, was also present. 



Hon. Monroe H. Kulp, Hon. S. P. 

 Wolverton, Mr. J. B. Quigley, represent- 

 ing Mr. Barton Pardee, Torrence C. Hip- 

 pie, Esq., and Mr. Barton, were also 

 present, with maps, explaining the loca- 

 tion of the lands and their relations to the 

 water-sheds of the State. There was a 

 full discussion and a very careful consid- 

 eration of the lands presented for purchase. 



Of the lands purchased about 20,000 

 acres are on the headwaters of the Dela- 



ware river. The remainder, about 39,000 

 acres, are on the Susquehanna water-shed. 

 There are also in sight now, with the pros- 

 pect of a speedy purchase, about 40,000 

 acres more, providing terms and condi- 

 tions can be agreed upon. The lowest 

 price paid was 50 cents per acre ; the 

 highest price, for some specially desirable 

 lands, which contain considerable mature 

 timber, with a good crop of young timber 

 coming on, was $2.00 per acre, which is 

 probably the highest figure that the Com- 

 mission will agree to consider, and then 

 only when the land is very desirable for 

 the purposes of the State. 



This is the culmination of many years' 

 agitation of the forestry question. All 

 political parties have joined in this move- 

 ment, which is rather one of self-protec- 

 tion to the State than of political nature. 

 Governor Stone tersely stated that these 



ti 



reservations are to be the parks and the 

 outing grounds of the people forever. 



