1904 



FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 



511 



seedlings are well started, and in a 

 decade this ground is completely cov- 

 ered with the young plants from a 

 foot to five feet in height. After the 

 ground becomes well shaded by dense 

 reproduction, and a humus gradually 

 accumulates, the soil loses its hard 

 and dry character, and henceforth in 

 the growth of the young forest, rap- 

 idly regains its organic composition 

 from the decay of vegetative mould 

 and pine needles. The intensely dry 

 character of the soil is gradually less- 

 ening, and finally when the pole con- 

 dition of forest is developed, we have 

 that stage in the growth of lodgepole 

 where the fiercest kind of a struggle 

 for dominance and survival results in 

 an almost stationary diameter increase, 

 while the height growth is rap- 

 id. The characteristic tree now is one 

 with a long, slender bole, small crown 

 and shallow roots. 



Those specimens in the pole forest 

 less able to cope with the strenuous sit- 

 uation must eventually die, or become 

 so weak that decay sets in, or the wind 

 blows them down. The dominant trees 

 continue to grow very rapidly, and 

 soon become merchantable from a tie 

 standpoint. The dead and down stuff, 

 if not burned again, decays and grad- 

 ually forms a humus, which enriches 

 the^soil". The density of the forest 

 becomes very much reduced, forest 

 underbrush grows up, and the soil 



gains in organic arid mineral constit- 

 uents, and if of a clayey consistency, 

 the water content has increased very 

 perceptibly. Scattered seedlings of 

 lodgepole pine, spruce, and fir now 

 spring up. A deep layer of humus is 

 formed, much moisture is retained in 

 the ground, and if no more fires oc- 

 cur, the forest, by the gradual en- 

 croachment of more mesophytic types 

 of vegetation, has again regained its 

 virgin character. 



We have now the original mixed 

 forest as it was before the fire oc- 

 curred. 



The ordinary occurrence of lodge- 

 pole pine throughout its range in the 

 Rocky Mountain region in even stands 

 and even-aged forests, and a study of 

 the growth and development of the 

 pine forest from the seedling stage to 

 the mature tree, leads to the conclu- 

 sion that forest fires directly deter- 

 mine this uniform character of lodge- 

 pole pine forests. 



A fact of mighty importance to ir- 

 rigation and agriculture in the West 

 in relation to forest covers on moun- 

 tain sides at sources of streams for 

 the regulation of water supply, is that 

 lodgepole pine does not, under natur- 

 al conditions, vacate territory when 

 once gaining a footnold, but in spite 

 of repeated fires, quickly re-establishes 

 itself on the same ground and contin- 

 ues to extend its original area. 



NEWS OF RECLAMATION SERVICE 



Progress of Work of Former Projects 

 and Result of Search for New Ones 



Situation in South Dakota. 



MR. F. H. NEWELL, Chief Engi- 

 neer of the Reclamation Serv- 

 ice, states that the progress of con- 

 struction in South Dakota has been 

 delayed by the indifference to or ig- 

 norance of the situation on the part 

 of the local land owners. It is neces- 

 sary before construction can begin to 



obtain an agreement from the land 

 owners to abide by the conditions of 

 the reclamation law in regard to the 

 subdivision of land and the repayment 

 of the actual cost of irrigation, 

 number of land owners who would 

 be greately benefited are hanging back 

 and jeopardizing the work. 



Over one million dollars will be in- 



