16 



AMERICAN FORESTRY 



cres were planted with 



and I .-'*< acres were 



arious methods, at a cost of 



;. i For five years prior to 



rimental work in both plant- 

 ,n,l -i. wing nn numennis area- from 

 m acre t.. several acres in 

 ,,-ned on. The expen- 

 , .nductcd upon all of the 

 simati'His present on the \vater- 

 >hed. The actual results of many of 

 e plantation^ were total failures, but 

 ssful or not they all con- 

 tril.utel toward the solution of the 

 iblems that HUM be met in the suc- 

 :ul reforestation of this area, and 

 tin- experience gained in this experi- 

 mental work has enabled the forest 

 in charge to formulate certain 

 principles which puts the reforestation 

 work on this and similar situations upon 

 cl'mite and practical basis, so that, 

 gi\en a situation, they know by experi- 

 ence the best method to pursue. 



There are a ^reat variety of situa- 

 tions represented on the watershed be- 

 cause of the isolated position of the 

 range. The Pike's I'eak range, some- 

 times railed the Rampart Range, of 

 which Tike's I'eak is the highest eleva- 

 timi. is a short, isolated range of moun- 

 tains which rises close to the border of 

 the plains. Tike's Peak lies at the 

 northernmost end, and from it the range 

 spreads out wedge-shaped to the south 

 and southeast, sinking rapidly to the 

 lull- \\here the Arkansas Valley 

 with the ('.real Tlains of east- 

 Kastward from the 

 peak lies the broad semi-arid plains, and 

 t" the north and west a low mountain- 

 CMimtrv well wooded with a cover 

 Vestern \ello\v pine and Douglas 

 In earh of the latter directions it 

 1 mile- as a erow ties to the nearest 

 mountains of e<|ual height. 



is the last high harrier in 



of ;he prevailing westerly 



I" noting the high Continen- 



these winds are drained of 



tir nmiMiire an.) ;in- parched and dry 



ike tin- western slope o'f 



impart Range, where they dry out 

 awaj the line humus 



am, Iraxing the" surface drv and 

 '11 Of the precipita- 



tion is brought by easterly winds bear- 

 ing moisture from the Gulf. The east- 

 ern side of the range therefore receives 

 a much heavier rainfall, and conse- 

 quently affords better planting condi- 

 tions. The average annual precipita- 

 tion for the entire region increases 

 steadily with altitude. At 6,000 feet it 

 is 14.58 inches, and at 14,111 feet it is 

 39.55 inches. The average annual tem- 

 peratures decrease with altitude from 

 47.3 F. at 6,000 feet to 36.3 F. at 

 10,265 feet, and 19.3 F. at 14,111 feet. 

 Since the three factors of precipitation, 

 temperature, and wind have an impor- 

 tant bearing on the reforestation work, 

 they are given careful consideration in 

 choosing the species to be used and the 

 methods to be followed. To this list 

 of important factors should be added a 

 fourth, viz : aspect, since the latter de- 

 termines very largely the humidity at 

 the surface, the amount of direct insola- 

 tion of the sun, the depth of snow, etc. 



From experience gained through the 

 experimental work and the study of the 

 factors which have influenced the suc- 

 cess of the work already done, it is pos- 

 sible to lay down certain definite rules 

 or principles to be followed in this 

 reforestation work. The following 

 points are a brief summary of these 

 principles, which may be considered as 

 more or less general in their application 

 to similar situations, both in the Pike's 

 Peak region and elsewhere. 



The highest elevation at which refor- 

 estation is attempted is about 10,800 

 feet. Direct sowing is more apt to be 

 successful at high altitudes than at low 

 ones, because moisture at the surface is 

 quite essential, but the success of seed 

 sowing on any situation, high or low, 

 depends so largely upon climatic condi- 

 tions, and these vary so greatly in this 

 particular region that the outcome of 

 seeding operations is always uncertain 

 On all sites, therefore, except perhaps 

 in the most favorable, planting should 

 be given preference over direct seeding. 

 Whether sowing or planting is resorted 

 to, the wind is a serious handicap to re- 

 forestation work. It dries out the soil, 

 blows away the fine soil and humus, re- 

 duces the humidity of the air and blights 

 the young plants. The western expos- 



