1904 



FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 



The Arborvitse is mainly utilized by 

 stripping away the twigs bearing the 

 foliage and tying them into wreaths and 

 garlands. 



Here in Washington the Spruce and 

 Hemlock are seen in addition to Scrub 

 Pine, Red Cedar, and a little Longleaf 

 Pine from the Carolinas. For wreaths, 

 instead of Arborvitse the dealers display 

 quantities of a L,ycopod or Club Moss, 

 commonly called Crowfoot, which re- 

 sembles the Arborvitse in appearance, 

 but lacks the attractive fragrance of the 

 conifers. Holly appears later, and mis- 

 tletoe last of all, because it is liable to 

 wither. 



The well-shaped trees from 6 feet and 

 upward in height do service as the 

 Christmas trees, which contribute so 

 much to the pleasure of children at the 

 holiday season. 



This year a complaint was heard, es- 

 pecially from the northern cities, that 

 Christmas trees were too expensive to 

 be used as generally as in years gone 

 by. The supply is decreasing. This is 

 a matter for regret. The Christmas 

 tree is a strong accessory to a good 

 home. It is a part of the birthright of 

 childhood, and its enjoyment should not 

 be limited to the homes of the wealthy. 



Undoubtedly there are enough young 

 evergreen trees in the North to furnish 

 us indefinitely with Christmas tiees if 

 we use them wisely and eke out the 

 supply. The rise in price means only 

 that the well-shaped trees which grew 

 conveniently near shipping points have 

 been exhausted, and that the dealers 

 now have to bear the expense of longer 

 hauls. 



Here is an opening for thrifty north- 

 ern farmers. A few pounds of spruce 

 and balsam seed each spring scratched 

 into the ground on the shady side of the 

 fences, or in the open places in the farm 

 woodlot, would yield enough Christmas 

 trees after a few years to buy a hand- 

 some gift for each one of the family. 

 They are already raised at a profit by 

 nurserymen. 



There should be no wanton waste or 

 destruction of the young forest growth. 

 FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION would be 

 first to condemn such proceedings as 

 are reported to have taken place this 



year at Philadelphia, where a large 

 number of trees were burned by the 

 dealers in order to raise the price of the 

 remainder. 



But the attitude of the sentimental- 

 ists who would cut no trees, even for 

 Christmas purposes, is equally mis- 

 taken. Such persons are a serious 

 hindrance to the progress of real for- 

 estry, for they antagonize the very men 

 they would like to convert. L,et every 

 home that needs a Christmas tree have 

 one, by all means, for this legitimate 

 use, but cry down indiscriminate cut- 

 ting and waste in the woodlands, and 

 prepare for 1914, if you are in a position 

 to do so, by planting a few spruces or 

 firs. 



Forest Fire The scene of principal 

 Notes. damage during Decem- 



ber shifted after the first 

 few days of the month from eastern 

 Texas to southwestern California. 



From various newspaper items it is 

 learned that on December 3 fire broke out 

 in the mountains 20 miles northeast of 

 San Bernardino, which proved to be the 

 most destructive in the history of that re- 

 gion. It was believed at first that it 

 started from a donkey engine at the 

 works of the Brookings Lumber Com- 

 pany, but investigation seems to indi- 

 cate incendiary work on the part of sev- 

 eral persons and arrests are promised. 



The flames moved southward, driven 

 by the wind, and burned about 5,000,000 

 feet of sawed lumber at Brookings' mill, 

 entailing a loss of more than $100,000 

 to the company. The mill was saved. 



A summer cottage at Fredalba was de- 

 stroyed and a bridge 200 feet long, which 

 spans City Creek Canyon, was seriously 

 threatened, but finally saved by back- 

 firing. 



The area burned over is estimated at 

 nearly 40,000 acres, upon which stood 

 some of the finest timber in the San Ber- 

 nardino Range. The main loss lies in 

 the denuding of the mountain slopes, 

 from which almost all vestiges of plant 

 life were swept away. The soil was so 

 calcined that it will readily wash away, 

 leaving the naked rock. December 6 

 the fire was said to be under control. 



