DISCURSIVE. Ill 



against its supremacy by being planted in larger specimens, or in advance 

 of the former, or in large numbers, or if its gradual killing out after it has 

 served its function of soil cover is not objected to. 



Rule 3. Thinly foliaged kinds should never be grouped together where 

 soil humidity is to be preserved, unless no leafy tree can be found to lit the 

 locality. 



Rule 4. In grouping light-needing with shade-enduring kinds, the 

 former must be more rapid growers or must otherwise be given an ad- 

 vantage. 



Rule 5. The mixing in of the thinly foliaged trees is preferably done 

 singly and not in groups, unless special soil conditions necessitate the 

 latter method. 



With such rules and considerations in mind, the proper practice in 

 prairie planting is indicated. Prof. B. E. Femow. 



FOREST RESERVES IN NEW SOUTH WALES. 



The total forest area of New South Wales, says the Hon. J. P. Hudson, 

 superintendent of the exhibit from that country at the World's Fair, is 

 estimated at about 21,000,000 acres, and 1,013 forest reserves have been 

 proclaimed, covering a total of over 5,600,000 acres, subdivided in twenty- 

 five districts, each having resident foresters and traveling inspectors whose 

 duty it is to safeguard these forest reserves In 1891 the forest depart- 

 ment expended $119,375 upon the northern reserve for the conservation of 

 red cedar, and other purposes. As in the United States, so also in New 

 South Wales, Arbor Day has been appointed, on which the children of all 

 the public schools plant trees. There is also a state nursery, consisting of 

 over 1,200,000 trees, representing over 250 kinds of timber. 



ACREAGE RESERVED IN THE UNITED STATES. 



The forest reservations proclaimed by the President, under the Congress- 

 ional act of March 1st, 1891, are divided as follows in the different states 

 and territories : 



Alaska 1,851,520 New Mexico 311,040 



Arizona 355,520 Oregon 4,653,440 



California 6,238,729 Washington 967,680 



Colorado 3.101,360 Wyoming 1,239,040 



ECONOMIZING SNOW. 



"Mr. R. W. Piper, in his Trees of America, states that an unobstructed 

 warm wind will dissolve the snow more than ten times as fast as when 

 protected from the wind, the temperature being the same." The snow 

 that falls on the open prairie has little or no continuity, the wind sweeps 

 it away, leaving the ground to freeze solid and deep, and drifting it into 

 the ravines and 'other places where it may be useless to the farm. The 

 frost-crust being impermeable, and the melting rapid in the early spring,the 

 water rushes away in floods. If farmers would have the benefits of the 

 snow-mulch, wind-breaks should be numerous, and at different angles, so 

 that the snow-flakes will eddy on their fields. The action of the snow in the 

 woodsis different. There it remains generally level, pressed over the litter, 

 infilled with air like so much fur, that protects against undue freezing of the 



