i88 



FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION. 



May. 



VIEW IN SAND-HILL REGION OF NEBRASKA. 



time steal large areas from the prairie. 

 The main purpose of these reserves, 

 however, is to try on a large scale the 

 practicability of forestation. Every con- 

 dition seems favorable. It is proved be- 

 yond question that the region is adapted 

 to the growth of pine timber. The need 

 of timber in the region is so great that 

 there will be a demand for every stick 

 which can be produced, while for other 

 purposes the land is practically value- 

 less. The main question hinges upon 

 the development of a practicable and 

 economical method of getting the forest 

 started. If that difficulty can be sur- 

 mounted the success of the undertaking 

 will be all but assured. 



The establishment of these reserves 

 marks a distinct step in our national 

 forest policy. It is the first attempt 

 of the government to reclaim worthless 

 land by forestation. It is likewise the 

 government's first attempt to establish 

 artificial forests in regions where natu- 

 ral forests are wanting. By this act, if 

 it shall prove successful, the govern- 

 ment really pledges itself to a policy of 

 improvement of its non-productive land 



where it can be done advantageously 

 by forestation. 



On account of their unique purpose, 

 the Nebraska forest reserves are certain 

 to attract widespread attention. 



On April 1 1 the San Isabel Forest Re- 

 serve, containing 77,980 acres, located 

 in Saguache and Custer counties, south 

 central Colorado, was formally estab- 

 lished on a proclamation by President 

 Roosevelt. A few days later, on April 

 16, the San Francisco Mountains Forest 

 Reserve was increased in size by 999,950 

 acres, making the total area of this re- 

 serve 1,975,310 acres. 



The total area of all forest reserves 

 in the United States is now 48,002,101 

 acres. 



Forest Fires. Since the publication of 

 the April number of 

 Forestry and Irrigation there have 

 been forest fires in twenty-two states, 

 from Maine to Colorado. The amount 

 of property destroyed has been unusu- 

 ally great for a single month, and in 

 addition several lives have been lost. 

 The fire record is as follows : 



