1906 



FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 



199 



reserve successful plantations of ash, 

 boxelder, and cottonwood have already 

 been established by ranchers, where 

 cottonwood, in particular, has made 

 good growth. 



The forest-planting contemplated by 

 the Forest Service in this locality is of 

 especial importance. Part of the re- 

 serve is near the tract to be reclaimed 

 under the great North Platte project, 

 now under way by the U. S. Reclama- 

 tion Service, and the irrigation of this 

 stretch of country in the western por- 

 tion of the State will of course create 

 a demand for fence posts, fuel, etc., in 

 connection with the settling up and 

 development of the lands. Since the 

 region is practically treeless, timber to 

 meet this demand should be produced 

 locally if possible. 



The success which has attended the 

 experimental operations in the Halsey 

 Nursery of the Dismal River Forest 

 Reserve, indicates the future impor- 

 tance of the government's work along 

 this line. While the original intention 

 in establishing this Halsey Nursery 

 was to grow seedlings for planting on 

 the Dismal River Reserve, it has al- 

 ready been found that this station can 

 be made a distributing point for a 

 number of other regions, and it is 

 likely that plans will be made to grow 

 seedlings on a large scale for shipment 

 to other parts of Nebraska and to ad- 

 jacent States. No less than 50,000 

 seedlings were shipped to the Black 

 Hills of South Dakota last spring, and 

 planted, and 40,000 more were shipped 

 to the Pikes Peak region in Colorado. 

 Seedlings have been raised at the Hal- 

 sey Station more cheaply than any- 

 where else in the United States, and 

 there is no apparent reason why the 

 same success should not be achieved on 

 the new North Platte Reserve, where 

 conditions are very similar, if a nurs- 

 ery is established there. 



It is the intention to furnish seed- 

 lings this spring from Halsey for 

 planting in the Garden City Forest 

 Reserve in Kansas, and a considerable 

 number will also be shipped to the 

 Pikes Peak region. 



In establishing this new reserve the 

 only industry that will in anywise be 

 effected is that of grazing, which will 

 be greatly benefited by a forest reserve 

 administration of the tract. Permits 

 will be granted to graze the stock 

 which is now occupying the ranges. 

 Should the ranges be found to be over- 

 grazed, the number of stock will grad- 

 ually be reduced each year until such 

 a limit is reached as will secure to the 

 stockmen a permanent use of the re- 

 serve. 



_ . The Butters Lumber 



Tree Plant- n r r> j 



ing Work Company, 01 Boardman, 



Columbus Co., N. C, has 

 made application to the Forest Service 

 for a preliminary examination of 5,000 

 acres of land on which they contem- 

 plate planting. Mr. J. F. Bond, who 

 is at present in the South, will visit this 

 tract this week to determine the feas- 

 ibility of preparing a detailed planting 

 plan. The cut-over southern timber- 

 lands are of little value unless system- 

 atic plans are carried out to secure nat- 

 ural reproduction or to have them re- 

 planted. Substantial financial returns 

 seem assured in either case, and lum- 

 ber companies are showing increased 

 interest in this movement. The com- 

 pany in question contemplated the 

 planting of cottonwood, as it gives 

 quick returns in a region where there 

 is a market for pulpwood and char- 

 coal. 



Plans have been ap- 

 o-operation . , . r 



in Iowa proved for co-operative 



forest experiments be- 

 tween the Iowa State College at Ames, 

 Iowa, and the Forest Service. The 

 College is to furnish 5 acres of land 

 for experimental planting this spring, 

 and additional areas when available. 

 The expenses of material rnd labor 

 will be borne equally by the c voperat- 

 ing parties. It is the object of these 

 experiments to determine the species 

 best suited for varying purposes and 

 to the soil and climatic conditions of 

 Iowa, and to learn the silvicultural 

 methods by which they can be most 

 easily propagated. The work will com- 

 prise both nursery practice and field 



