BEPOET OF THE FORESTER. 23 



Carson Eeclamation Project. A study of tree planting in California 

 was completed, and one covering Ohio and Indiana was begun and 

 nearly finished. 



COOPERATION. 



The increasing volunie of data from completed studies is leading 

 more and more to the giving of assistance to private owners through 

 correspondence and publications instead of by planting plans, which 

 entail study on the ground. There were made, during the year, 23 

 planting plans in 15 States, covering 19,600 acres, 10,000 acres of 

 which were covered by a single plan for the United States Reclama- 

 tion Service, for lands in the North Platte Project. Another im- 

 portant plan was for planting eucalypts on 4,000 acres in California. 

 In Pennsylvania plans were made for the Lehigh Coal and Naviga- 

 tion Company and the Monroe Water-Supply Company. 



Advisory letters written to persons seeking assistance through cor- 

 respondence numbered during the single month of May 288. Letters 

 were received from every State and Territory in the United States, 

 with California, New York, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Mas- 

 sachusetts in the lead, and from 10 foreign countries. The informa- 

 tion furnished was specific, and one letter often brought extensive 

 tree planting throughout a locality. 



Valuable experiments in nursery and planting work are being 

 conducted in cooperation with nine universities and State agricul- 

 tural experiment stations in the East and the Middle West, at slight 

 expense, which is equally divided between the Forest Service and the 

 institutions. These experiments are to learn what species are best 

 adapted to different regions, to improve methods of nursery planting, 

 cultivation and thinning, and to test different spacings and mixtures. 

 Among other matters which it is important to investigate through 

 this means are the questions of species useful for protective and com- 

 mercial planting on irrigated lands and of forest planting in connec- 

 tion with dry-land agriculture. 



Experiments to learn how to combat the damping-off fungi, which 

 so seriously affect forest nurseries, were begun in cooperation with 

 the Bureau of Plant Industry at the Halsey planting station and 

 with the New York forest, fish, and game commission at its nursery 

 at Saranac, N. Y. 



Publication of a series of regional circulars to set forth clearly and 

 concisely the best advice that the Forest Service can give forest 

 planters in each region has been begun. 



WORK FOR THE ENSUING YEAR. 



Nursery practice at the present stations will be closely studied, 

 better stock grown, and the seed-bed area brought to a higher state of 

 production. Greater care will also be given to choosing planting sites 

 and perfecting field planting. 



Plans are under way to transfer the Pasadena station to Lyttle 

 Creek, the San Marcos to the Santa Ynez Valley, and to relocate the 

 nurseries of the Pikes Peak station. These changes will secure better 

 and more accessible sites without appreciable loss of equipment or 

 permanent improvements. 



Experimental sowing and planting will be carried out on a large 

 number of Forests. Additional planting stations will be called for 



