190 1. 



AMERICAN FORESTRY ASSOCIATION. 





comparatively small amount of timber has 

 been killed and it is fair to infer that the 

 worst of the destruction is over. 



There are a large number of applica- 

 tions for timber and the demand for lum- 

 ber, mining timbers, ties, cordwood, etc., 

 reaches 60,000,000 feet, board measure, 

 per year. This is below the amount which 

 could safely be cut, but the demand is 

 steadily increasing. Cutting is limited to 

 a certain diameter, usually 12 inches on 

 the stump, and the contractors are obliged 

 to work up the tops into cordwood, and 

 pile the brush away from the young 

 timber, so that it can be burned. All 

 trees above 12 inches, which are to be 

 cut, are marked by the ranger, and he 

 must also scale ail logs, ties, or cord- 

 wood. 



Tie cutting- has been carried on to a 



ready and willing t with , 



reasonable nil. 



The forest force which the 



work in the Reserve consists of a su] 

 visor, and under him a foi 

 to each 0!' whom a district i 

 which he is responsible. Twenty-eight 

 rangers are employed in summer dm 

 the dry months, when then- i- the n 

 danger from fire. The winter twice num- 

 bers ten. Unfortunately these nun are not 

 trained foresters and often do not under- 

 stand their work or sympathize with the 

 forest reserve movement. 



The question of water suppl) i^ as im- 

 portant to the people of the Hills as that 

 of timber. Nearly all the main valleys 

 and canons contain small mountain 

 streams, which generally have their rise 

 in springs, but nevertheless many of them 



EXCELLENT REGROWTH OF YELLOW PINE, AT AN' ALTITUDE OF ABOI 



BLACK HILLS FOREST RESERVE. 





considerable extent, but the work is ex- 

 tremely unsatisfactory and the debris 

 caused by the hewing of ties in the woods 

 is a constant fire menace to the forest. The 

 operations of the lumber mills, since they 

 have been obliged to work the tops up into 

 cordwood, are as praiseworthy as those oi 

 the mining companies. The latter are 



are apt to run dry in the summer. In the 



northern Hills water is nearly 



to the miner as -old. and in the foothills 



and plains streams are vei V 

 irrigation. For this 1 " is 



'test importance that cuttin 

 fully restricted on tlu- headu 

 slopes bordering on these sti 



