578 FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION December 



ters received from forest officers in of the organic soil is swept into the 

 charge of the reserves. From the let- sea as it is formed. Consequently road 

 ters and the discussion it appeared that building over the rocks is difficult. An- 

 the lopping of tops and cleaning up imals are scarce ; there are probably 

 debris following lumbering is a nee- not over twelve cows and five horses 

 essarv measure, both as a precaution within the reserves, and but three 

 against fire and to encourage repro- horses and one mule in Ketchikan, 

 duction. In insect-infested timber, Coal imported at $6 a ton is cheaper 

 brush should be burned at the proper than the cost of cutting standing tim- 

 season to de stroy the young pests ber, but in cases the natives depend 

 which harbor in the branches. In the upon drift logs for fuel, 

 lodgepole pine regions burning is usu- However, a large amount of valu- 

 ally advisable, choosing seasonable able timber awaits increased demand, 

 times when the danger of losing con- and along the beach timber sales are 

 trol of the fires is least. In the Pacific increasing rapidly. Sixty to sixty-five 

 Northwest brush can be burned, by per cent of the timber is western and 

 carefully raking it away from the seed black hemlock ; 20 per cent is Sitka 

 trees, without piling. In California spruce, and this at present forms near- 

 piling is essential. In Arizona and ly the whole of ftie logging trade ; the 

 New Mexico and elsewhere brush, in balance is red and yellow cedar and 

 many cases, should be thrown in gul- jack pine. Hemlock attains a maxi- 

 lies to stop further erosion, and it is mum diameter of four feet, but its 

 also useful in protecting seedlings weight endangers transportation by 

 from stock. In Colorado and Utah water 30 to 150 miles to the mills at 

 brush is often an aid to reproduction Juneau and Douglas. Rafts of spruce 

 in conserving moisture and as a pro- logs averaging 767 board feet or of 

 tection from the sunlight. trees averaging 4,000 feet are common. 



Where careful removal of the slash Trees of 3 feet diameter are those or- 

 is required it is observed that lumber- dinarily cut, and those reaching 9 feet 

 men more fully utilize the material and towering to a height of over 200 

 contained in the tops, cutting about feet are found. 



two feet farther into the crown of the Government stumpage is 50 cents 

 tree. Where the tops are piled for per thousand ; logging costs $4.50 per 

 future burning from six to seven per thousand ; towage, $1 to $2 per thou- 

 cent of the ground is occupied by the sand. The lumber brings $12 for 

 piles. If, in the winter, burning pro- common, $17 to $20 for dimension, 

 ceeds along with lumbering, the area and $25 for finishing. Sixty per cent 

 thus occupied may be reduced to 2 of the best grades goes into salmon 

 per cent, and teams and mechanical cases^and there is a demand at Seat- 

 appliances can be more easily handled tie for clear spruce for counter tops 

 when the brush is out of the way. and shelving, and for fruit and berry 



Mr. Langille, who is in charge of boxes, for which being odorless and 

 the Alaskan forest reserves, covering free from resin, it is well suited, 

 an area of 6,000,000 acres, chiefly is- Mr. Langille has found much diffi- 

 lands, in southeastern Alaska, gave an culty in securing transportation by wa- 

 interesting description of the tree spe- ter to the various portions of the re- 

 cies, physiography, and lumbering serves, and inspection of the lumber- 

 methods of that region. The islands ing jobs, some of them 60 miles apart, 

 range from three to four thousand will be greatly facilitated by the use of 

 feet high, the drainage basins are a new 60-foot gasoline launch, the pur- 

 short, with scarcely any valleys, and chase of which has recently been au- 

 with the excessive precipitation much thorized. 



