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FOREST LEAVES.

Daniel Webster's Tree-Planting.

ANIEL WEBSTER'S Marshfield farm, says C. C. Andrews, in the New York Tribune, comprised 1700 acres of fairly good soil, free from rocks, and about half of it undulating surface. He used to speak of it as having "light" soil, and being on the "bleak" shore of the sea. There are views from it of the blue sea, and of vessels under full sail. It is in the midst of the old Plymouth colony settlement. Winslow was buried in the little cemetery on an elevated site adjoining the Webster place, where most of the inscriptions are too old to be deciphered, and where also is the extremely plain tomb of Webster-earth covered with a simple marble slab.

While they do not belong to forestry, I did, however, look at the fine trees in the apple orchard of 11 acres which Mr. Webster planted; also the lawn. The lawn consists of about 6 to 8 acres of pleasantly undulating surface. A handsome broad avenue, mostly of elms, leads from the public road through it to the house (Mr. Webster's house was burned a few years ago, and has been replaced by another), a distance of about 300 yards, and trees, mostly hardwood, are distributed so tastefully over it as to make, together with the little lake of about 3 acres along the rear, a princely surrounding. The trees are now in their prime, and the lawn is far more beautiful than it could have been fifty years ago, in Mr. Webster's time. There are few finer lawns probably in America.

Mr. Webster began tree-planting on this farm sixty-eight years ago. He planted a great many small white pines on the north and west sides of his farm in lines or belts. Many of these pines now stand and are not more than a foot in diameter breast high. I noticed a few Scotch pines. There are occasional stumps, and some of the pines that he planted were cut and used for timber when they had a diameter of 2 feet. There are now growing on the farm one or more moderate tracts of close-standing young white pine 20 feet high, the natural growth from seed of pines planted by Mr. Webster, a fact very significant in forestry. In a letter written by him at Marshfield on May 26, 1842, to Mrs. Edward Curtis, describing the place, he states that there was then on the "north and northwest a thick belt of trees planted by the same hand that now indites this description." These certainly were pines, of which some are now standing, and whether they were planted to beautify the place, as Mr. Wright thinks, or for shelter belts or for timber, they have had useful forestry effects, be

cause the trees served as wind-breaks and became valuable for timber. Mr. Webster certainly exemplified valuable principles of forestry, and his example should everywhere give it an impulse.

Some of the trees which he planted he named for his children. His children are no more, but the trees are standing. Surely he brought with him his love of trees and his stimulus for treeplanting from his native valley of the Merrimac. In his boyhood he felt the sublimity of primeval forest. Nowhere has the white pine-the most valuable of trees-flourished better than in his own native valley. There grew the finest white pines on record-one 7 feet 8 inches in diameter and (probably) 180 feet in height—the greatest height which that tree attains.

As a tree-planter Mr. Webster was in advance of his time. In some sense he was the forerunner of forestry. He planted trees both for economy and for ornament, and for long years to come one spot at least of Pilgrim soil will be more beautiful for what he did.

Strange Facts About the Eucalyptus.

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R. D. E. HUTCHINS, of Cape Colony, who in 1882, in conjunction with Sir A. Brandis, discovered the remarkable sun-power storage capacity of the eucalyptus, has again been drawing attention in Nature to this extraordinary feature of the tree. According to Mr. Hutchins, a eucalypt plantation in tropical mountains, such as in South Africa, under favorable circumstances, stores up about 1 per cent. of the solar energy received on the unit of area, and it is considered much cheaper in some parts of Cape Colony to plow up the land and plant a forest of quick-growing trees than to import coal.

In 1882, Mr. Hutchins and Sir A. Brandis, as the result of their experiments, discovered that eucalypts planted on tropical mountains produce fuel at the rate of 20 tons-dry weight at 60 pounds per cubic foot-per acre per year in perpetuity. The eucalypt plantation reproduces itself when cut without further expense, and its dry timber, heavier than coal, has an equal or a higher thermal power, bulk for bulk, than coal. This result was obtained as a measurement of the maximum yield of Eucalyptus globulus on the Nilgiris, Southern India. If a chance tree on a chance mountain in a chance soil can produce the equivalent of 20 tons of coal per acre per year, it seems not unreasonable to suppose, Mr. Hutchins suggests, that by selection double this, or 40 tons, can be produced. A powerful sun, a heavy rainfall, and a very rapid forced growth are the essen

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tials of such a production of wood-fuel. A glance over the rainfall map of the world shows these conditions are fulfilled over about 8,000,000,000 acres of its surface, which is between one-fourth and one-fifth of the total land surface of 35,200,000,000 acres. One-half of this area under forest might thus yield the equivalent of 160,000,000,ooo tons of coal yearly, which is more than 288 times the world's present consumption of coal, assuming that coal and eucalypt timber are of approximately equal heating power. On the basis of the actual forest yield of the present day, we have half of this, or the equivalent of 80,500,000,000 tons. In Germany, one-fourth of the total area is under forest, and taking the German standard of one-fourth forest, on the basis of the present maximum yield we should obtain 40, 250,o00,000 tons; while if the maximum forest yield be converted to an average forest yield there would still remain a yearly product of 20,175,000,000 tons, which is rather more than 30 times the world's present consumption of coal. Thus it is seen that the yield of firewood from the world's tropical and extra-tropical forests, wherever they are fully stocked and scientifically worked, will yield the equivalent of from 30 to 122 times the present consumption of coal, or even up to 243 times the present consumption, if by cultivation the present timber yield be doubled, as it might be without difficulty.

Forest Fires and Insect Attack.

P. FELT, New York State Entomologist,

E. in a letter to the American Lumberman,

says: "The annals of entomology contain very little regarding the relationship existing between forest fires and insect attack, and the recent extended burnings in the Adirondacks presented a most favorable opportunity for studying this question. The principal object was, first, to secure data on the rapidity with which insect injury followed fire, and, secondly, to learn if there was a connection between extended fires and serious damage by insects in adjacent forests. It is yet early to report upon the latter, but some facts of interest regarding the former have been obtained.

"April 30, May 15 and June 3 there were somewhat extensive fires in the vicinity of Big Moose, and investigations by my assistant, Mr. Young, July 2, showed that insect attack had become nicely started in the burning of May 15, more advanced in that of April 30, while practically no signs of insect presence were to be observed in that of June 3. He also found that trees en

tirely killed by the fire were less subject to attack than those which had been so severely scorched as to be nearly killed or in a dying condition. The trees were attacked in the following order: Pine, spruce, tamarack, birch, hemlock, arbor vitæ, balsam, beech and maple.

"The dying pines, which, by the way, are not abundant in that section, were attacked by bark borers and will soon be infected by a long-horned borer, which works in the bark and sap wood, and later, probably toward the end of the season, penetrates to a greater depth, materially injuring the lumber for other purposes than fire wood. This borer is likely to enter other soft woods in considerable numbers in the course of the next month or two, and it would not be surprising if the grubs developed rapidly enough to cause considerable injury before the end of the

season.

"Spruce has already been attacked by certain bark beetles and also by an ambrosia beetle or wood borer. The latter causes the black pinholes so familiar to lumbermen, and is of importance because of the depreciated value of the lumber attacked. These insects will be followed by others, in particular by a flat-headed borer, which may cause considerable injury before the end of the season, as well as the grub of the longhorned borer mentioned under pine.

"Tamarack was attacked by bark beetles, and long-horned borers were observed upon it in small numbers. These latter will probably cause some injury before the end of the season. Dying birch were all infested by a bark borer and a common flat-headed borer, which latter runs galleries to some depth in its later stages, and will probably cause some injury before the end of the season. A long-horned borer was also found upon birch trees.

"Hemlock had already been attacked by two borers, one of which is likely to penetrate the sap wood at least, and possibly deeper, before the end of the season. The bark of arbor vitæ was infested by a borer which will later penetrate several inches into the wood. Balsams were infested to a slight extent by an ambrosia beetle, or wood borer, which works in the same way as described above for spruce. Balsam is also very subject to attacks by long-horned borers, such as are mentioned under pine, and many trees may be so seriously damaged that they cannot be used for anything but fire or pulp-wood purposes. small borer is operating in the bark of dying beeches, and another is causing the black pin-holes similar to those found in pine and spruce. The dying maples appear to be entirely free from injury, so far as observed.

"Cutting and piling the logs will afford some protection from the flat-headed borers, because the adult beetles prefer the sunshine, and are, therefore, less likely to deposit eggs upon a shaded log. Other species will be comparatively little affected by this treatment, and it would be well could all such infested logs be got into water and kept there several weeks so as to drown most of the pests and prevent further infestation.

"In conclusion, it may be stated that our investigations have just begun, and the conclusions given above are tentative and are, therefore, subject to revision."

Area and Damage of Maine Forest Fires.

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ROM facts and figures sent in the report to

the office of Forest Commissioner Edgar E. Ring, the estimated money loss to the State of Maine by the forest fires of the spring of 1903 was $1,041,210; 277,495 acres, or about 2 per cent. of the wooded area of the State, was burnt over. By far the most destructive of the fires was that which started June 2 in the vicinity of Webster Lake, on township No. 6, range 10, in Piscataquis County, and it is estimated that it burned over 80,000 acres of land, on which stood some of the finest timber in the State. In some sections the timber was entirely consumed. The cause was unknown.

While in many cases the cause of the fire was unknown, a summing up shows practically the following causes: Unknown, 83; clearing land, 58; railroad, 37; fishermen, 37; smokers, 12; camping parties, 9; porcupine hunters, 17; burning blueberry lands, 9; burning brush, 2; fire from adjoining town, 2; incendiary, 3; lightning, 1; hunters, 3; rubbish fire, 1; burning grass, 2; river drives, 4.

The following table shows the estimated area burned over in towns and unincorporated townships by counties:

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Commissioner Ring says: "While the area burned over may not equal that of the forest fires which swept many townships in northern Maine in October, 1825, and ofttimes referred to as the Miramichi fire, the destruction is more widely spread as to locality. Hundreds of fires seemed to spring up simultaneously in all sections of the State, and burned fiercely until checked by the efforts of the fire wardens and thousands of men put on by the State, timberland owners and town officials. The condition of the forest was prime for just such fires as occurred."

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"First.-Trunk, vertical, but without branches on the side facing the wind.

"Second.-Top of trunk inclined in the direction of the dominant wind. Branch asymmetric ; more developed where sheltered from the wind. "Third.-Whole tree inclined. When growing in masses, these trees or shrubs are almost lying on one another. Their dimensions decrease struck by the wind. as we go toward the side of the forest that is first

"Fourth.-Trunk and branches may be inclined in different directions. In this case the inclination of the trunk may have been due to strong, but temporary, winds, while that of the foliage keeps the direction of the dominant wind. "These deformations are especially frequent in countries near the sea or in flat regions. In equatorial regions, where violent cyclones often rage, the influence of the dominant winds cannot always be noted, for their effects are often hidden by that of the tornadoes."

Among the trees that are most sensitive to the action of the wind the following are noted by the author: The cherry, the plum, the walnut, the black poplar, the ash and certain varieties of pine. Other pines, especially the mountain varieties, and also certain firs, are very resistant to wind and are, therefore, recommended by the author for the reforestation of regions exposed to gales. Detroit Free Press.

Correspondence.

EDITOR FOREST LEAVES :

Several times during the past few years reference has been made by writers in FOREST LEAVES as to the origin of our numerous forest fires, and among the several causes considered was that of farmers burning for cattle pasture. Much thought upon the subject has convinced me that some farmers do fire the mountains and are responsible for a good share of the destruction already accomplished; for although I have never caught one in the act of burning, circumstantial evidence has in several instances been so strong that I became converted to the theory. There are many others who think as I do. A short time ago a man from Centre County assured me that much of the mountain burning in that section was, in his judgment, due to the cattle industry on the mountains. He also stated that a few years ago it was practically an open secret that mountain herders were systematically burning for the betterment of pasture conditions. Not long ago, while crossing Franklin County, a farmer assured me that the large mountain lying to the east was capable of supporting many cattle if only properly burned. This simply showed in what channel his thoughts were running. I do not wish to intimate that, as a rule, farmers burn the woods, but, on the contrary, the great majority are, like other good citizens, opposed to any measures of lawlessness; in fact, I know two who pasture extensively in the mountains, and are both noted forest fire fighters, stopping all operations on the farm and driving miles with their help to fight a fire.

Last year, while in California, vast tracts of burnt woods were seen where great herds of sheep were nibbling the tender shoots and grasses. Reliable people stated that the sheep men did the burning almost openly. Last November, while in the north Canadian wilderness, going to and from our camp, scores of places aggregating many thousands acres were seen that had been burned to the ground, and in almost every instance were near the pasture lands of some settler. These lands were crown, and not private, possessions. It seems that the Canadian Government allows settlers to go into a region where it is so stony that agriculture is out of the question. A shed is built, then the burning of the surrounding country is in order, and soon thousands of acres are ruined. This is what is called improving a country, and, I regret to say, that Canada is by no means the only place where such blunders have occurred.

RADNOR, PA.

J. G. DILLIN.

The following statements are made as the result of the experience of Mr. Clifford R. Pettis, a Forester of the State of New York, in collecting seeds of the red spruce in the Adirondack region: Six to 8 bushels of cones can be picked on the average by one man in a day's work of eight hours. Fifty cents per bushel will enable a man to earn a fair day's wages. Ten to 15 square feet of drying space is required for a bushel of cones. Sixty pounds per bushel is the weight of green cones. One bushel of green cones will make two bushels of opened cones. One bushel of green cones will yield on an average 1% pounds of seeds. One bushel of green cones will yield on an average 12 quarts of seeds. One quart of seeds will weigh 14 pounds. One bushel of seeds will weigh 40 pounds. One ounce of seeds contains 7500 grains. One pound of seeds contains 120,000 grains. One quart of seeds contains 150,000 grains. Three hundred and seventy-five pounds of seeds contain 45,000,000 grains. Three hundred and seventy-five pounds of seeds cost for collection $355.72. costs for collection 95 cents. costs for collection $1.19. costs, at dealer's prices, $2. cents per pound saved in collecting our own seed. Three hundred and ninety-three dollars and seventy-five cents saved on 375 pounds of seeds.

One pound of seeds

One quart of seeds One pound of seeds One dollar and five

A single acre of Washington timber, measured by the Division of Forestry, contained 218,690 feet B. M. of red fir, 11,000 feet of hemlock, and 6000 feet of cedar; making a total stand of 235,690 feet. The smallest fir on the acre was 3 feet in diameter, and the largest 8 feet. The height. of the forest approximated 300 feet. The hemlock was scaled down to 20 inches in diameter, and had it been scaled to 12 or 14 inches, as customary in the East, the stand would have been several thousand feet greater. This acre was measured near Wilkeson, Washington, about 30

miles from Tacoma.

The average stand per acre for 131 acres measured by the same party near Buckley, in the same county, was 74,402 feet of red fir, 30, 105 feet of hemlock, 5000 feet of cedar, 2175 feet of spruce, and 593 feet of white fir; a total stand of 112,275 feet. In these measurements no trees less than 2 feet in diameter were scaled. No allowance, however, was made in the above calculation for cull. The 131 acres were taken in various parts of a township, and represent with fair accuracy the stand throughout that township. The significance of these figures is apparent when it is remembered that 10,000 feet per acre is considered a heavy stand in all lumber regions east of the Mississippi.

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The Sanatorium at South Mountain, Pa. bounty of the State in a regular hospital, go from

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THE South Mountain Camp Sanatorium for poor consumptives was created by an act of the Legislature in 1903, and the sum of $8000 was appropriated for the erection of buildings and for the maintenance of the Sanatorium for two years. It was thought by those most active in the movement that many who were unable to seek distant health resorts which produced good results in cure, or amelioration of tuberculosis, might find relief by out-door life in the mountains of Pennsylvania. This hope has been realized in the South Mountain Sanatorium. There are now about 25 inmates, all of whom are improving, but some more rapidly than others. Already three have been discharged cured, and three more will soon be ready to leave. statement raises the question, What do you conThis sider a cure? To insist that one who is called cured should never suffer a relapse, or die of tuberculosis, would be to make the test more rigid than is applied to any other disease, and, hence, would be unfair and illogical. In tuberculosis, as in most other diseases, the same cause which produced one outbreak may produce another.

Neither does it follow, because a patient discharged as cured may not be able to follow an indoor life without return of his malady, that, therefore, his open-air life has been a failure.

It is manifestly a great boon if one, apparently doomed to death, can be so far restored to health that a long, useful, productive out-door life is made possible. It is not too much to say that this is now possible for a large proportion of sufferers, if they adopt a rational out-door treatment at a sufficiently early period.

These statements lead up to the reason why the State of Pennsylvania has made treatment of tuberculosis a part of its forestry reservation work.

The mountain lands now owned by the Commonwealth are simply held for the people, belong to the people, and were paid for by the people. It is therefore absurd to suppose that there is any great public interest which these lands could advantageously serve which they should be prevented from serving. This proposition is especially true. when it is remembered that the lands which the State now owns are of the character best adapted to restoration of health, and that the consumptive patient is excluded from most, if not all, of the outing places situated in our mountains, and to which the healthy public resort.

Furthermore, most of those who will take advantage of the State aid thus afforded can go to no other place. Many of them would, in the natural course of the disease, while pensioners upon the

bad to worse and eventually die, though if placed, door life they might have been restored to the at an early stage of the disease, in a suitable outranks of productive citizenship.

communicated from one person to another, and It is also well known that consumption may be that danger to the community at large is decreased by removing those who are afflicted with the disease from the crowded centres to the remoter regions, where they can be kept under guard. consumptive camp one is in the least danger of now an established fact, that in a well-regulated receiving the disease.

It is

why such a use of the State Forestry Reservations We feel, therefore, that there is every reason is right and proper.

Why the system which now obtains in the South quire further explanation. Mountain Camp Sanatorium was adopted may re

most of their own food, to bring their own bedThe inmates are required to find and prepare ding, and to care for their own quarters. In other words, the place is a camp rather than a hospital. At present, but little more than shelter, pure air and pure water can be furnished by the State.

to the adoption of the plan. From the start the Economy was the first consideration which led demands for admission to the Camp have been Money spent in feeding the applicants would have far in advance of the possibilities of the Camp. larger number, and most of the applicants were been money taken from providing shelter for a willing to provide their own food and still abide by Camp rules.

The second consideration was that by adopting only those whose condition enabled them to care the Camp idea we would be more likely to receive for themselves, and who would, therefore, belong respond favorably to out-door life. to the class of least advanced cases most likely to

The

The South Mountain Sanatory Camp represents
no new idea from a medical standpoint.
work of caring for and curing consumptives has
been successfully prosecuted at White Haven, un-
der direction of Dr. Flick, for years.
ervations is, however, one for which Pennsylvania
The idea
of making it a function of the State Forest Res-
may claim a measure of credit.

notice.
The location of the Camp is worthy of a passing
It is situated in Franklin County, about
15 miles southeast of Chambersburg, at an eleva-
tion of nearly 1625 feet above tide.

For miles around most of the land is still in forest. There is absolutely nothing in the neighThe white pine is indigenous, and splendid groves borhood which can contaminate the atmosphere.

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