GENERAL REPORT. 35 
tive fires purposely started to clear away the underbrush that the bands of 
sheep may be more readily cared for and grazed. 
It can hardly be out of place to contrast such a wilful waste with the 
wise provision of the Swedish law (enacted prior to 1647), which compels 
the “private owner to plant and protect from cattle two timber trees for every 
one cut.” 
It may fairly become a question as to whether it would not be money 
well invested if the general and state governments were to anticipate future 
wants and plant extensive areas of our Western domain with hardy and 
rapidly growing timber trees. It appears from the latest statistical infor- 
mation available that already the States and Territories comprising our 
domain are in the percentage of timber area to the entire surface actually 
below Norway, Sweden, Russia, and Germany. In view of what we have 
anticipated in the way of increased population, this is rather an alarming 
statement. 
Will tree planting succeed on our open Western lands? What trees 
van be grown, and will they add to our material resources? Here we can 
only appeal to facts. We must premise by saying that to the young trees 
planted, care and protection must be accorded. In other words, they must. 
be regarded as a crop to be protected from cattle and have the ground 
prepared for their reception. This being granted, we may fairly expect 
that over a large part of our domain we should have results something like 
those furnished by Mr. Longstreth, forester to the Atchison, Topeka and 
Santa Fé Railroad. After three years’ growing, the following percentage 
of each survived and was growing well: 
Per cent. 
Silver-maple, one year old when planted........-....- -..+----- 50 
Box-elder, one year old when planted ...... 1... ---.+---++-0es 60 
Honey-locust, one year old when planted ......-...--.-+.------+ 95 
Catalpa, one year old when planted .............--- ean cae t 100 
Ailanthus, one year old when planted.... ....--.----..+---+-- ae 
American elm, one year old when planted....... Jade View ees wawdi 90 
The same authority furnishes many other statistics, but as they are 
not founded on any longer experience, I omit all save those from the fourth 
station in Kansas, at Spearville, 283 miles west of the eastern line of the 
State. The elevation is 2,480 feet, and is high upland prairie, and known 
