1904 FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 471 



papers place the loss as high as $20,000,- Nearly every district in the province 

 ooo incurred so far this season. The has suffered some, and nearly all the 

 hamlet of Little Bay was destroyed and government reservations have been vis- 

 two men were killed by a forest fire on ited, with more or less serious conse- 

 August 31. quences. On Howe Sound, in the vicin- 

 British Columbia* It is estimated by ity of Vancouver, a number of lumber 

 prominent lumbermen that $500,000 camps, some standing timber, and many 

 loss in timber alone has been occasioned thousands of shingle bolts were burned, 

 by mid-island fires near Vancouver, and and it is also reported that four persons 

 the property loss has been considerable, succumbed to the flames. 



FORESTRY AS APPLIED TO THE DEVEL- 

 OPMENT OF KANSAS. 



BY 



GEORGE W. TINCHER. 



TO any one who has studied the of the timber problem, so far as posts, 



forest conditions of Kansas, with poles, and fuel are concerned, and that 



its meagre supply as compared with the is to grow them on our own soil and in 



total area of the state, there can be but the locality where there will be the great- 



one conclusion, namely, practically all est demand, 

 of the lumber for building purposes 



must be shipped from adjoining states, THE NECESSITY FOR ARTIFICIAL 

 and a large portion of the post and pole 



stock to be used by the farmer must There can be no doubt about the 

 come from the same source. It is true necessity for establishing artificial for- 

 that certain localities in the eastern part esits in Kansas, because of the meagre 

 of the state, along wooded streams, supply of our native timber. Any ex- 

 have an abundance of native timber for perienced farmer who has grown timber 

 local use on the farm, in the way of of any sort to a sufficient size to be used 

 posts, poles, and fuel ; however, only a for posts or poles knows that it is much 

 small portion of the state is so favorably cheaper and more satisfactory for him 

 situated. Many of our most productive to go into a grove and cut the stick de- 

 counties are entirely treeless, and all sired than to go to a lumber yard and 

 the timber and fuel must be shipped pay cash for the same material, 

 from the outside. We receive posts From fifteen to twenty years ago 

 from Arkansas, Missouri, Minnesota, many artificial forests were established 

 and Wisconsin. This is a great drain in Kansas. The catalpa is the tree that 

 on the people, because of the excessive has been planted more than any other, 

 freight rate, which is added to the net Some of these forests have not proven 

 cost of such stock. Many of the older a profitable investment, because of the 

 portions of the state are now using posts inexperience of those who handled them 

 and poles that have been grown in the The others have paid the owners a 

 immediate neighborhood. This is a larger rent for the ground than they 

 step in the right direction, and one could have secured from any other crop, 

 which will have to be followed out, be- The Yaggy forest, located near Hutch- 

 cause the demand for all such stock in inson, consists of about five hundred 

 other parts of the country is becoming acres of catalpa. The first planting 

 great, and the prices will thereby be was done in 1890. Posts have been cut 

 advanced. I can see only one solution from this forest for the last four years, 



