soil has piled up to sufficient depth so as tc form 

 a "blanket dense en ouch to retard evroorat ion, the 

 ground becomes saturated \vith. watcvr hcj.'ov; a certain 

 point. The depth of this water .1 :>.e >:!:, ponds entirely 

 upon the rainfall and neepage, or linflov; "by sub-irri- 

 gate on, Instead of a level lino . this v/ater line 

 fellows the topography of the country to a certain 

 extent, "be inc a little further from the surface on tfte 

 hills and closer to the surface in the valleys. Well 

 water can "bo .obtained in practically all the valleys 

 at depths ranging from 6 to 90 feet. Natural sub- 

 irrigation and the 5- oca. t ion of this water line is Jji 

 many cases the factor which determines the present 

 vegetation on the ground. Slopes of the same aspect 

 and pitch and Jn the sane locality may in some fcases 

 have a different cover, due entirely to the water 

 content of the soil. Such cases are in evidence es- 

 pecially along the eastern "border of the Forest. 



FOREST FIRSS. 



The effect of forest fires is a prominent 

 factor in practically all forest regions and doubly 

 so jn this semi-arid region. Statistics on recent 

 fires set V.y lightning, and evidences of fire damage 

 in all parts of the forest, shov; that fires have been 

 a constant enemy of the forest since time immemorial. 



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