530 DEPAKTMENTAL REPORTS. 



to -wMch the ties are hauled and where they are weighed and piled in 

 order to determine what form of pile will give the best results. Ihe 

 weights are recorded, and the ties are re- weighed at intervals of thirty 

 days until air dry. From these tests accurate data will be obtained 

 as to the time required to season Loblolly and Shortleaf Pine ties cut 

 in any month of the year. 



In cooperation with the American Telephone and Telegraph Com- 

 pany, the best methods for seasoning Chestnut telegraph and tele- 

 phone poles are being thoroughly investigated. Fifty poles are cut 

 each month, and under the supervision of an agent of the Bureau of 

 Forestry are weighed and piled on skids to season. The poles are 

 then weighed at intervals of thirty days to determine the rate of sea- 

 soning. Each pole is marked with a dating nail designating the month 

 in which it was cut. When the poles are thoroughly air dry they are 

 placed in position by the company, each pole being marked with 

 nails indicating the date of cutting and the date the pole was put in 

 use. Since in common practice the green poles are placed directly in 

 the ground, it is expected that considerable increase in the length of 

 life of the poles will result from the seasoning. In December an 

 experimental line of poles was put in place by the company under the 

 direction of an agent of the Bureau. The butts of 100 poles were 

 treated and the poles set up in cement and broken rock in order to 

 determine the effect of the surrounding medium upon the durability 

 of the poles. Untreated poles were similarly placed for the purpose 

 of comparison. 



In southeastern Texas an exhaustive study is being made of the 

 various methods of tie treatment in order to determine which is the 

 most profitable for that region. Two years ago 8,000 ties were placed 

 in the track of the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Rail-^ay. These ties 

 are of 13 different kinds of wood. They are impregnated by 12 

 separate processes in order to test the relative durability of each wood 

 under each preservative treatment. A certain number of ties of each 

 kind were put in the track without treatment. All ties are marked 

 with record nails indicating the kind of wood, the treatment which 

 the tie has received, and i the date when it was placed in the track. 

 These ties are examined every two months by agents of the Bureau. 

 It has been noted that all of the untreated ties are already affected by 

 decay. After another year this experiment will furnish, for the region 

 in which it is made, reliable data for the length of life of ties of dif- 

 ferent kinds, both when untreated and when treated under different 

 processes. 



Study of Proposed Reserves. 



This work, which includes studies of the boundaries of existing 

 National forest reserves and of proposed forest reserves as a basis 

 for recommendations, has been undertaken under the request of the 

 Secretary of the Interior upon the Secretary of Agriculture for 

 advice upon technical questions involved in the administration of the 

 reserves. 



In the summer of 1902 examinations and reports were made of the 

 following proposed reserves and proposed additions to existing re- 

 serves : 



Utah: Aquarius, Logan, Manti, Sevier, Salt Lake, Gunnison, and 

 Beaver Forest reserves. 



California: Stony Creek, and additions to the San Jacinto, Lake 

 Tahoe, San Gabriel, Pine Mountain and Zaca Lake Forest reserves. 



