tween the rows. If the tops are exposed to intense sunlight, they should be shaded with brush or sacking.

Spacing depends upon the species, character of the planting site, probable percentage of trees that will live, etc. Four by 4 feet to 6 by 6 feet are the spacings generally used. The roughness of the planting site will often prevent regular spacing, but as much uniformity as possible should be secured.

Planting. Planting should usually be done in the spring just before growth begins. In regions where there is a rainy and dry season, planting should be done at the beginning of the rainy season, as soon as the soil is sufficiently wet and there is a reasonable probability that it will remain so.

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Holes for planting can best be dug with a mattock. The size and depth should be governed by the size of the trees. The planter should carry a trowel and a bundle of trees, keeping the roots from drying out by carrying them in a wet cloth or pail of water. The trees should be set slightly deeper than they stood in the nursery, and the roots should be well spread out in the holes. The roots should be kept damp at all times, and only moist soil should be placed directly upon them. Great care should be taken to pack the earth closely about the roots. Protection. The planted areas should be protected from fire and stock as thoroughly as possible without excessive expense. Marking plantations.—All planting areas should be clearly marked by blazing near-by trees or by setting substantial posts, or by erecting piles of stone. The boundaries of each area that will be treated as one plantation should have the boundary trees or posts inscribed P 1, 2, or 3, according to the number of the plantation. The part of the area that is planted the first year should be marked off by stakes inscribed A. The next year's planting should be marked B, the next C, and so on alphabetically. The plantations should be carefully examined each summer to furnish data for reports.

A limited amount of nursery stock for planting on private land within National Forests may be secured from planting stations by making application to the

supervisor. Stock is furnished only to residents in or near the National Forests who will agree to plant it on private or Government land within the National Forest, and for watershed improvement only.

Requests from individuals for nursery stock, in case less than 1,000 trees are desired, may be granted by the supervisor. Requests for 1,000 or more plants should be referred, with recommendations, to the Forester.

TIMBER-TREATING PLANTS.

Small experimental treating plants are constructed and operated on or near certain of the National Forests where they would greatly increase the use and value of the available supply of timber. The object of such plants is to show how far preservative treatments are practicable for the class of timber at hand, and to ascertain the cheapest efficient preservatives and processes which may be used. The design of the plants varies on different Forests. Some are constructed especially for the treatment of telephone poles; others for ties, fence posts, or other timbers.

The conditions which make the establishment of such plants advisable are: (1) A demand for considerable quantities of durable timber; (2) an abundant supply of dead or inferior timber on the National Forest, combined with a scarcity of the better classes of wood; (3) the willingness of consumers to cooperate in the treatments by contributing money, labor, or preservatives, or in other useful ways.

Recommendation for the establishment of a treating plant on or in connection with a National Forest should be made to the

Forester by the supervisor or inspector. The recommendation should be accompanied by a full description of the conditions which make preservative treatments desirable, and by a statement of the terms of cooperation offered by timber users.

WOOD UTILIZATION LABORATORIES.

Wood utilization laboratories of the Forest Service are located at the University of Washington, Seattle, Wash.; the University of California, Berkeley, Cal.; and the University of Colorado, Boulder, Colo., and cooperate respectively with Forest officers in districts 1 and 6, 4 and 5, and 2 and 3. They work upon the problems encountered in utilizing National Forest timbers. When necessary, laboratory work will be supplemented by field studies.

The Forest Service undertakes tests along any of the following lines which may assist in more completely utilizing the timber of the National Forests:

(1) To determine the strength, toughness, and other properties of wood, and the influence of such factors as rate of growth, knots, checks, red heart, etc., on these properties.

(2) To determine the best methods of seasoning different woods.

(3) To determine the suitability of different woods for the manufacture of paper pulp.

(4) To determine for any wood the valuable chemical products which may at present be wasted, such as tannin, turpentine, and wood alcohol.

Statistical information is collected regarding the production and consumption of forest products and on lumber prices and

movements. Reports based upon the information received will be furnished periodically to Forest officers. In order that this information may be accurate and useful, Forest officers will cooperate in every way possible with the men detailed to this work.

PERMANENT IMPROVEMENTS.

The construction on the National Forests of suitable headquarters for the field force, the completion of a good system of communication, the building of fences, corrals, and other works for the control of grazing are of great and immediate importance. Supervisors should study the present and future conditions on their Forests with the greatest care before submitting plans and estimates, since the improvements when once constructed can not be changed without great trouble and additional expense.

Each piece of trail, road, telephone line, fence, fire line, and each bridge, cabin, corral, or other improvement should be treated as a separate case and designated by some appropriate name. The Forester will pass upon the recommendations, and if they are approved, authorize their construction and allot a sum of money to cover the necessary expenses.

If a supervisor finds his estimate or the sum allotted for the work is insufficient to complete it, a full report on the subject should be made to the Forester, and if possible a further sum will be provided. As soon as any project is completed, the supervisor should so report to the Forester, giving the exact cost in detail, including ranger labor.

All brush and other débris resulting from the construction of roads, trails, bridges, and telephone lines should be handled in the same manner as that resulting from logging.

The reports and estimates on the various improvements should be prepared in accordance with the instructions which follow.

ROADS.

To make the resources of the National Forests accessible and to protect them, the Forest Service hopes

eventually, with the cooperation of the local authoritiés, to build a complete system of free roads and trails through each Forest.

The Forest Service is not only willing but anxious. to cooperate in the construction and maintenance of roads, trails, and bridges within the National Forests,

Any community which desires to take advantage of this offer should communicate with the Forest officer in charge through the supervisor.

The supervisor will transmit the request to the Forester in a report covering the following points: Location and length of the road, width of roadway, and proposed maximum grade; advantages to be gained and necessity of construction; number and class of residents benefited; exactly what the local residents or county will contribute toward its construction and maintenance in money, labor, tools, powder, or construction material; definite recommendations as to what action should be taken by the Forest Service.

A detailed estimate of cost to the Forest Service covering the following points (this outline should also be followed in reporting on roads to be built entirely by the Forest Service):

Cost of survey. Unless it is certain that a good grade can be had, a survey should be made of the route. What the survey will cost will depend upon whether it is necessary to run more than one line or not, and whether or not there is much brush. Cost per mile for clearing the right of way for the road. Cost per mile for grading. This will involve a thorough knowledge of the country through which the road will pass, and can only be obtained by a thorough inspection of the route. The character of the soil should be carefully noted in addition to the slope, size of openings necessary for waterways, and approximate location of turn-outs. Bear in mind that there is a vast difference in the cost of grading in earth and in solid rock, the former costing from 16 to 25 cents per cubic yard, while the latter will cost from 80 cents to $1.50 per cubic yard, depending in a great measure upon the labor employed.