194 DEP ARTM ENT a L, it Ki-UKT S » 



valuable young trees, while others have been occupied by quaking aspen, 

 and still others have remained practically barren. The j'oung trees 

 are irregularlj* distributed and grow slowly. Unless planting is resorted 

 to, there is no hope for a restoration of the forest on some slopes within 

 a reasonable time. 



A map is being made to show the distribution of old and young tim- 

 ber in relation to this ver}- important watershed, the location of areas 

 naturally reforesting, and the tracts, practicall}' devoid of reproduc- 

 tion, upon which planting is recommended. 



Coordinate with the study of planted timber in western Kansas, an 

 examination was made of the tendency of the narrow belts of natural 

 timber which border the streams to wrest from the prairie contiguous 

 tracts of ground, now that prairie tires, less frequent than formerly, 

 no longer give grass the advantage over forest which it once had. 

 The object of the study is to direct attention to the latent tendency 

 toward forest extension and to its uianifest value in the region. A 

 similar study has been completed in western Nebraska, and a report for 

 the two regions is now awaiting publication. 



A tract of 200,000 acres, comprising most of the watershed of the 

 Vermejo River, in northern New Mexico, was studied for the purpose 

 of finding methods of improving the reproduction of the forest, which 

 consists mainlj' of an open stand of western yellow pine, deficient in 

 reproduction on account of fire, excessive grazing, and insufficient seed. 

 Plans were made to repair the damage from fire and stock, and a series 

 of experimental plantations was recommended. The experiment 

 should show what methods are most successful and economical for 

 ■establishing the stand of timber required. 



For the past two field seasons a stud}^ of the replacement of white 

 pine on old fields and pastures in central New England has been under 

 way. Field work which has been completed has j'ielded data of scien- 

 tific interest and high practical importance. Around thi-ee different 

 centers in New England the tendency of white pine to take possession 

 of abandoned farm lands is so strong that it maj^ be depended upon bj' 

 the landowner to restock his land with forest without any effort on 

 his part. 



Forest Fires. 



\Vork of large practical public benefit was a study of the extent and 

 effect of great forest fires, such as those in Washington and Oregon in 

 1902, and of fires in the Adirondacks in 1903. 



So serious were the fires in the Adirondack Mountains from April 

 20 to June 8, 1903, that the Bureau without delay began a study on the 

 ground of their extent, causes, and effects. Agents of the Bureau 

 traveled extensively through the region, made careful examinations of 

 many of the burned areas, and gathered information from guides, cruis- 

 ers, lumbermen, pulp manufacturers, and superintendents of private 

 preserves. Reports were also obtained from the fire wardens of all 

 towns within or near the Adirondack Park. A careful study of the 

 burned-over lands along the lines of the New York Central "and the 

 Delaware and Hudson railroads was also made. 



It was found that over 600,000 acres of timberland were burned 

 oyer. About 1175,000 had been spent in fighting the fires. The total 

 direct loss from these fires was approximately $3,500,000, with an incal- 

 culable indirect loss, due both to the destruction of voung growth 



