334 DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS. 



for several tracts of over 5,000 acres each. In other instances the 

 planting begun on small areas will be extended over hundreds and 

 even thousands of acres as rapidly as the facilities for planting will 

 permit. Requests have been received for planting plans for commer- 

 cial plantations in the treeless plains, for the production of fence 

 posts, telegraph poles, and railroad ties. Fertile agricultural land is 

 employed for these purposes, there being no longer any question that 

 such land can, under certain conditions, be used as profitably for a 

 forest as for an agricultural crop. 



For all this planting the Bureau of Forestry furnishes direction 

 and advice. The planting material and the necessary labor are inva- 

 riably furnished by the owners. 



STUDIES OF PLANTED WOODLANDS. 



Forest measurements were made in 32 of the largest commercial 

 plantations in Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, and Kansas, including 

 the Hunnewell, Munger, and Yaggy plantations, and that of the Kan- 

 sas City, Fort Scott and Memphis Railroad. These results are of the 

 highest value, not merely in showing the growth of some plantations 

 in these regions, but especially because they exhibit also the profit- 

 able nature of these undertakings. A bulletin embodying the results 

 of these studies is in preparation. 



FOREST ENCROACHMENT ON THE PLAINS. 



This investigation, tentatively begun a year ago, was continued in 

 nearly all the States of the Great Plains. The immense area to be 

 covered will make the investigation a long one, but it has already 

 yielded important information on ti;ee planting in many localities. 

 The work was done mainly in connection with the field work for coop- 

 erative tree planting and the studies of planted woodlands, but in 

 May, 1901, a careful investigation was begun in Nebraska to deter- 

 mine the possibility of reclaiming portions of the nonagricultural 

 public lands by judicious planting, and by protection from fire and 

 grazing. This study was carried far enough to show that portions of 

 the sand hills, heretofore considered almost worthless, can be forested 

 with valuable timber at comparatively small expense. 



Much attention was given during the year to the spread of infor- 

 mation on tree planting. Circular No. 22 was revised and enlarged, 

 and more than 10,000 copies were sent out. A Farmers' Bulletin, 

 "Tree planting on rural schoolgrounds," was prepared and submit- 

 ted for publication. Forty mimeographed circulars giving directions 

 for the planting and care of various species of forest trees were pre- 

 pared, and a special mailing list of 2,000 names was compiled. Pub- 

 lic lectures, illustrated with lantern slides, were frequently given by 

 the members of the section while in the field. 



EXPENDITURES. 



The expenditures for the Section of Tree Planting during the year 

 were $9,523.61, or 10.8 percent of the total appropriation. 



SECTION OF OFFICE WORK. 

 PERSONNEL. 



On July 1, 1900, the number of employees in the Section of Office 

 Work was 14. During the year this number was increased by the 



