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Sierra Club Bulletin 



past been established by the county on burned areas on mountain watersheds. 

 Two hundred miles of ornamental planting along the highways of the county 

 are under the care of the County Forester. His department has charge of the 

 grounds around county institutions, and county parks, including Monte Vista 

 Park in the Crescenta Valley. 



The County Forester is also County Fire Warden and County Game War- 

 den. He has a force of about one hundred and fifty voluntary fire wardens 

 scattered throughout the county. Twelve fire-fighting trailers have been pro- 

 cured. A main fire-line (fire-break) has been built for about twenty miles along 

 the main ridge of the Santa Monica Mountains from Topango Canon to Laurel 

 Canon. This was financed by local landowners in co-operation with the county. 



DANGER ! 



The Sierra forest may soon face a dangerous enemy. The white-pine blister- 

 rust is a destructive disease attacking five-needled pines. It is a native of 

 Europe, and was not found in this country until 1906, having been introduced 

 on nursery stock. It is now established in New England, New York, Minne- 

 sota, and Wisconsin, It was hoped that it might be prevented from reaching 

 the West by the fact that there are no five-needled pines on the Great Plains. 

 But it was found in British Columbia a few months ago, and since that time 

 has been reported from the State of Washington. 



Seven western pines are subject to attack: sugar, western white, limber, 

 white-bark, foxtail, bristle-cone, and Mexican white. The first two are among 

 the half-dozen greatest western timber-trees. All seven add greatly to the beauty 

 of our western mountains. Vigorous measures are now under way to attempt to 

 stamp out the disease in the West. Only the future can tell how the fight will 

 go. 



