1905 



FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 



85 



The different types of land as tim- 

 berland, chaparral, pasture and agri- 

 cultural land, barrens, cut-over land, 

 and burned land will be mapped and 

 the stand of timber in each location 

 will be roughly estimated. Forest re- 

 serves may be increased in number or 

 size, if land most suitable for that 

 purpose is found. 



But the subject of paramount im- 

 portance is the prevention and control 

 of fires. A good opportunity for ex- 

 periment along this line was afforded 

 the Bureau by cooperation with the 

 private owner of an 8o,ooo-acre tract, 

 who had previously introduced a crude 

 fire-protection system. A comprehen- 

 sive plan was outlined and its execu- 

 tion begun. There has not been time 

 for a thorough trial, but its installa- 

 tion has had an excellent effect. The 

 patrolling of the tract has been greatly 

 improved, and the neighbors now vol- 

 untarily report all fires, whether on , 

 or off the tract. There has not been 

 a serious fire on that tract this season. 

 This splendid showing is an impres- 

 sive object lesson. It proves the effi- 

 ciency of intelligent care and of fight- 

 ing fires at the start. The present fire 

 laws of the State are incomplete and 

 inadequate. One result of the work 

 of the Bureau will be the recommen- 

 dation of a fire law which, if adopted, 

 will be the best ever passed by any 

 State. 



The T ost encouraging fact in forest 

 management is the growing determi- 

 nation of large timberland owners to 

 employ private foresters to handle 

 their holdings. This will ensure a 

 method of lumbering less wasteful 

 than that at present practiced, and, 

 more important by far, it will be the 

 means of better protecting the forests 

 and making them yield a continuous 

 crop. Such expert control will be es- 

 pecially valuable in solving the prob- 



lem of the best way to get rid of the 

 slash, which, until burned, is a constant 

 menace to the forests. Extensive ex- 

 periments in slash burning have al- 

 ready been carried on by the Bureau 

 with satisfactory results. 



The Bureau agents are also study- 

 ing the habits and rate of growth of 

 sugar and yellow pine to determine 

 the practicability of lumbering so as 

 to secure a second crop. The field 

 work on these studies is now about 

 complete. A report on what growth 

 and returns may be expected from 

 plantations of different species of gum 

 is nearly ready for transmittal. 



The study of chaparral has led to 

 fruitful practical conclusions. It shows 

 in California the same remarkable 

 ability to encroach upon and spread 

 over open country that it exhibits in 

 Texas and elsewhere in the semiarid 

 portions of the southwest. It makes a 

 satisfactory watershed cover, and al- 

 most constantly replaces a forest de- 

 stroyed by fire. Its composition varies 

 with aspect and elevation and with 

 damage by fire. 



The natural reproduction of forest 

 trees has been thoroughly investigated 

 by the Bureau, together with the ex- 

 tent of the forest in the past, the ef- 

 fect of fire upon forest reproduction, 

 the contest between chaparral and 

 forest on burned areas, and the rate of 

 growth of young forest trees. Every 

 State which has large valuable forests 

 or a climate which demands extensive 

 irrigation for farming purposes 

 should, in its own interest, adopt a 

 definite and enlightened forest policy. 

 Work similar to that nearing comple- 

 tion in California should be in pro- 

 gress in at least a dozen other States 

 of the Union right now, if vast timber 

 resources are not to be further ruin- 

 ously depleted and farming interests 

 are to be properly safeguarded. 





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