162 FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION April 



The forest reserves, which now cov- accustomed them to first-class team- 



er an area as great as New England, accustomed the mto first-class team- 



the Middle States, and Maryland, will work. The convention lasted three 



require for their administration a small days, and the various subjects brought 



army of officials. It is absolutely nee- up were discussed freely by the rang- 



essary to prevent collusion and graft ers. Among those subjects were the 



between these officials and would-be following: "How Rangers Should 



users of reserve resources who are not Keep Books and Records," "Trespass 



particular about the means to a desired Cases, and How to Handle Them," 



end. The Forest Service will con- "Timber Sales from Application to 



tinue, by inspection and all other means Completion," "The Forestry System, 



at its disposal, to guard the public and and the Washington End of the 



the government against improper offi- Work," "Grazing Problems," "How 



cial conduct, and it is believed that to Deal with the Public," Trails and 



this conviction will be a great help to- Trail Building," "Forest Fires." 

 ward eradicating official malfeasance 



altogether. A bm tQ encourage the 



lows 



A ranger convention Forest Bill planting of forest and 



Convention was ne ^ m California at fruit trees in the State of 



the headquarters of the Iowa was recently enacted by the gen- 

 Sierra Forest Reserve, on Malum eral assembly of the State. It provides 

 Ridge, near Northfork, Madera coun- that on any tract of land in the State 

 ty, beginning April 12, 1906. When of Iowa the owner may select a perma- 

 Supervisor Charles H. Shinn called nent forest reservation not less than 

 the convention to order there were two acres in continuous area, or a fruit 

 rangers, forest guards, candidates for tree reservation not less than one nor 

 ranger, inspectors, and several invited more than five acres in area, or both, 

 guests present. Some rangers had and that upon compliance with the 

 come through stormy weather full 60 provisions of this act, such owner or 

 miles over mountain trails, leading owners shall be entitled to an assess- 

 their pack-horses. They made their ment on a taxable valuation at the rate 

 camps in various cabins, and some of one dollar per acre for the land, 

 tents had been pitched for the late- The bill outlines very fully the condi- 

 comers. Some of them brought their tions upon which such benefits accrue, 

 wives and arranged to stay for nearly Persons interested in the bill should 

 a week. ask for House Bill 209. The bill fur- 

 The object of this convention was to ther provides that the Secretary of the 

 plan the work of the coming summer Iowa State Horticultural Society shall 

 in this forest reserve. Incidentally, be State Forestry Commissioner. 



CONFERENCE OF ENGINEERS 



First Meeting of a National Advisory Board Invited by 

 the President to Co-operate with Government Bureaus 

 in the Study of Fuels and Structural Material. 



"HE National Advisory Board on S. Geological Survey upon these sub- 

 Fuels and Structural Materials jects, and to suggest methods of in- 

 has just held its first meeting, at the creasing the value of the work. Upon 

 invitation of the President, in Wash- organizing, Dr. Charles B. Dudley, of 

 ington, D. C, to consider the investi- the Pennsylvania Railroad, was elected 

 gations, past and prospective, of the U. president ; Lieutenant Colonel O. H. 



