4o6 



NATURE 



[August 27, 1903 



inch pipes driven %\\ feet below this. The other method 

 is by driving tubes varying from 3 to 6 inches diameter 

 down from the surface some distance into the water-bear- 

 ing surface. With tube wells as small as 3 inches 

 in diameter, the perforated portion at the lower end is 

 driven with the pipe, but with larger tubes the open pipe 

 is first sunk, and the strainer or perforated part lowered 

 inside; the tube is then jacked up until the perforated tube 

 is exposed. The pipes are sunk by means of a sand bucket, 

 which consists of a cylinder 3 to 5 feet long, the diameter 

 being a little smaller than that of the tube, provided with a 

 plunger and valve at the bottom. The cylinder is forced into 

 the ground, and then the plunger is driven down to the 

 bottom, and when drawn up sucks the sand and small stones 

 into it. It is then raised to the surface and emptied. In 

 some cases pressure has to be exerted by means of weights or 

 levers to force the bucket down, and it is continually turned 

 round by means of clamps. In favourable ground it will 

 sink at the rate of i foot a minute. Owing to the quantity 

 of fine sand in suspension in the water, centrifugal pumps 

 for lifting the water were found to answer best. Where 

 wells are used the suction pipe draws from the water at 

 the bottom, but with tube wells the suction pipe is attached 

 to the top of the tube. 



FORESTRY IN THE UNITED STATES. 



nr HE bulletins, professional and hydrographical papers, 

 ■*• which form part of the serial publications of the 

 United States Geological Survoy, treat of a variety of sub- 

 jects, among which forestry figures conspicuously. Five 

 beautifully illustrated volumes, accompanied by carefully 

 prepared and coloured maps, have recently been received. 

 The statistics and information collected from various 

 sources by well-trained experts and specialists are put forth 

 in a very plain and comprehensive manner. 



The first paper is by Mr. Henry Gannett, and treats of 

 the forests of Oregon. It deals very concisely with the 

 composition and character of the difl'erent forests and wood- 

 lands in the State. At the outset a land classification table 

 is given, which shows total area, merchantable timber area, 

 open country, burned, cut, and barren areas. 



As the author remarks, " the most startling feature 

 shown by the land classification map of this State, is the 

 extent of the burned areas." A point worthy of note, to 

 which the author directs attention, is that " the burns are 

 greatest and most frequent in the most moist and heavily 

 timbered parts of the Slate, • and are smaller and fewer 

 where the rainfall is less and where the timber is lighter," 

 the reason being that the density and abundance of the 

 undergrowth forms excellent fuel for the fire, and vastly 

 increases its heat and destructiveness. Of the total 

 timbered areas, not less than 18 per cent, has been thus 

 destroyed. This represents a total of 54,000 million feet 

 in the State, with an estimated value of 54 million dollars, 

 which the author very truly remarks is too much to lose 

 through carelessness. However, as the region of the fire 

 area is well watered, reafforestation appears to be progress- 

 ing favourably, especially where the burns have not been 

 extensive ; but, where many square miles have been in- 

 volved, the lack of seed has retarded the process consider- 

 ably. The dangerous fire season is autumn, when most 

 things are dry. However, the magnitude of such devasta- 

 tions appears to have been worse prior to and during the 

 days of early settlement — from 1843 to 1870. The rest of the 

 paper consists of extremely valuable notes accompanied by 

 tables which give a classification of the lands together 

 with the amount and classification of timber for each 

 pounty in the State. There is no extraneous matter brought 

 in — each sentence is pithy and to the point. The text, 

 accompanied as it is by illustrations and maps, gives as 

 perfect an idea of the character and stand of the timber of 

 Oregon as can well be conceived. ■ 



The next professional paper (No. 2) of the series is by the 

 same author. It deals with a revision of the estimates of 

 the standing timber and its distribution in the State of 

 Washington. These forests consist mainly of red fir 

 (Pseudotsuga taxifolia), mingled with spruce, hemlock, and 

 cedar. They are the densest, heaviest, and most con- 



tinuous in the States, with the exception of the red wood 

 forests of California. The author's general description is 

 followed by a summary of the standing timber in Washing- 

 ton, after which each county is taken up separately and 

 in detail. 



The revised estimate shows an increase over that given 

 in a former report ; this is due to the inclusion of species 

 which have novv come into use, and also such species as 

 are of known value though at present not utilised. 



The next report (No. 3) of the series is by Mr. Fred G. 

 Plummer. It deals with the forest conditions in that part 

 of the Cascade Range lying between the Mount Rainier 

 and Washington Forest Reserve. The land classification 

 map which accompanies this report covers 2,800,000 acres, 

 but after deducting the naturally timberless areas, such 

 as arid lands, lakes, and glaciers, also the area destroyed 

 by fire (8 per cent.) and logging (1-64 per cent.), there 

 remains an area of 2,292,820 acres which can be called 

 timber lands. After dealing with general matters, the 

 author gives a list of trees and shrubs of central Washing- 

 ton, which is followed by a very useful and instructive 

 table showing the distribution of species by zones of alti- 

 tude. Then comes a detailed record of the amount of 

 vegetable growth supported by an acre of average soil of 

 the Cascade Mountains. The defects and diseases of timber 

 trees, also the market prices of lumber, receive due atten- 

 tion. The bulk of the report is taken up with detailed 

 descriptions of the various watershed areas. At the end 

 of the paper irrigation, grazing, and mineral springs are 

 reported upon. The author's remarks on irrigation are 

 interesting, as they show what can be done in the_ way of 

 reclaiming and utilising arid tracts for agricultural 

 purposes. 



Report No. 4 of the series deals with the conditions of 

 the Olympic Forest Reserve, Washington, and has been 

 prepared from field notes taken by Messrs. Arthur Dodwell 

 and Theodore F. Rixon. It deals first with topographical 

 matters, agricultural lands, stand of timber, timber trees, 

 forest fires, mining, roads, &c. The principal part of the 

 report gives a detailed description of the various town- 

 ships contained in the forest reserve. There is much 

 useful information regarding the accessibility of the forests 

 and the facilities of timber transport, which are matters 

 of considerable importance. 



The forest conditions in the northern part of Sierra 

 Nevada, by John B. Leiberg, form the fifth paper of the 

 series. This report deals with the topographical features 

 of the region examined, along with the extent and com- 

 position of the forest and woodland. The distribution of 

 the various coniferous trees and forest type presented by 

 each receive adequate attention from a sylvicultural point 

 of view. The topographical, agricultural, and sylvicultural 

 aspects of the various river basins are then taken up and 

 described in detail. 



In addition to the above, three volumes on forestry, each 

 consisting of several papers, have already been published 

 in former annual reports of the United States Geological 

 Survey. 



We have only been able to sketch in the briefest outline 

 the scope and significance of the above works, which re- 

 present several years of painstaking and accurate investi- 

 gation. The undertaking shovv's that the great importance 

 of the forest is now duly recognised in America, although 

 not so many years have elapsed since forestry was a com- 

 paratively unknown science in that country. 



In the days of early settlement axe and fire were in- 

 discriminately employed to the great destruction _ of the 

 forest, and in later days, when timber was required for 

 structural purposes, lumbering operations were so diligently 

 and recklessly pursued in the most accessible forests that 

 in a short time they were depleted of all but the most 

 worthless material. He who wants a vivid description of 

 thi= state of affairs need only refer to Prof. Heinrich 

 Mayr's work, " Die Waldungen von Nord America," 

 which contains a great amount of information and good 

 advice as regards the conservation of the North American 

 forests. We are glad to see such advice has now been 

 accepted. The good work already done by the Geological 

 Survey will form a basis upon which future schemes of 

 management for the conservation of the forests of North 

 America may be built. 



NO. 1765, VOL. 68] 



