trenching, even though they may not extinguish it, and must continue the watch until rain falls. In dry, open woods fire travels faster, and it is often best to go some distance to open ground, and back fire from there. In handling back fires great care is needed to avoid useless burning; therefore they should never be set except by Forest officers, unless in great emergencies.

The night or the early morning is the best time to work whenever any choice exists, for nearly all forest fires die down, more or less, during the cool of the night and flare up again during the heat of the day.

Following are several general principles to be borne in mind:

Protect the valuable timber rather than the brush or waste.

Never leave a fire, unless driven away, until it is entirely out.

Young saplings suffer more than old mature timber. A surface fire in open woods, though not dangerous to old timber, does great harm by killing seedlings.

A fire rushes uphill, crosses a crest slowly, and is more or less checked in traveling down. Therefore, if possible, use the crest of the ridge and the bottom as lines of attack.

A good trail, a road, a stream, an open park check the fire. Use them whenever possible.

Dry sand or earth thrown on a fire is usually as effective as water and easier to get.

A little thinking often saves labor and makes work successful. Ill-planned efforts suggested by haste and excitement rarely lead to success.

ACTION AND. REPORT.

Small fires, extinguished without difficulty by the officer who discovers them, may be reported to the supervisor at the end of the month. He should be notified at once of large ones which require help from residents or other rangers, purchase of supplies, or attendance for several days. But if help is needed, the Forest officer on the ground should get it at once. He should hire men and messengers, if necessary, send for supplies, and notify the supervisor of the action taken. The supervisor will furnish any further help needed and telegraph the Forester if an amount in excess of $300 is required. He will also notify the Forester as soon as the total cost of any fire requiring extra help and expense is ascertained.

In reporting upon fires three classes should be distinguished, as follows:

A. Camp fires and other small fires covering not more than a few square rods.

B. Small forest fires, extinguished without any extra help or expense, and generally not covering over 5 acres.

C. Large fires, requiring extra help and expense.

On the last day of each month every ranger and guard will fill out his monthly fire report on Form 944, using a separate column for each fire, or, if such is the case, writing" No fires on District during 190-." In case of large Class C fires, if in the opinion of the supervisor it is essential for his information, the ranger will supplement his monthly report form with a letter.

On January 1 of each year the supervisor should submit an annual report on fires, which should cover the twelve months ending November 30.

EXPENDITURES FOR FIGHTING FIRE.

Every supervisor is authorized, in person or through a subordinate, to hire temporary men, purchase tools and supplies, and pay for their transportation from place to place to extinguish a fire. No expense for fighting a fire outside a Forest must be incurred unless the fire threatens it.

To promote willing assistance, in every possible instance the supervisor should, when practicable, pay the extra labor in cash on the ground immediately after the fire is extinguished. Reimbursement for such expenses will be made in accordance with the instructions in the Green Book.

When the supervisor finds it impossible to pay these emergency assistants in cash, Form 143 may be used, as explained in the Green Book. If there is any delay, the reason for it should be carefully explained to the men.

Fire fighters should be paid by the hour, actual working time, at the current local rates. The time consumed in going to and from the fire may be included.

Government employees and persons having any sort of permits within a National Forest are not entitled to compensation for fighting fire.

While the Forest Service is anxious to prevent and fight fires, only a limited amount of money can be devoted to this purpose. Experience has proved that usually a reasonable effort only is justified, and that a fire which can not be controlled by from 20 to 40 men will run away from 100 or even more men, since heat and smoke in such cases make a direct fight impossible.

Extravagant expenditures will not be tolerated. Fires are sometimes started for the sake of a job. In and about every Forest it is possible to enlist the cooperation of the better citizens, so that in time of need enough men of the right kind will be on hand. A crowd of men hastily gathered about a town, without organization, interest, or experience, is valuable only as a last resort.

FOREST PLANTING.

IN GENERAL.

As a result of severe forest fires and destructive lumbering there are several million acres in the National Forests which have been denuded. Wherever there is no possibility of the natural reseeding of this land within a reasonable time, it is the purpose of the Forest

Service to restore it to a state of productiveness by forest planting, and thus renew as soon as possible the ability of extensive watersheds to control and regulate stream flow.

The supervisor should report to the Forester what land requires planting within his Forest, covering the following heads: Area and condition of cover on watersheds directly controlling streams from which adjacent towns and cities obtain their water supply, and those which are the source of streams of value for irrigation purposes, or both.

Area and condition of cover on denuded land not of immediate importance for the control of stream flow, but which should be planted with forest trees for the production of commercial timber to meet future local needs.

Before establishing a nursery in a National Forest a reconnaissance is necessary to determine the feasibility of forest planting, the area to be reforested, the species best adapted to accomplish the desired results, the site of a nursery, etc. Experimental planting may be needed before extensive operations are begun.

Planting operations of the Forest Service are at present centered in planting stations within or near National Forests. In addition to these, numerous sites for small experimental nurseries have been selected at ranger's headquarters, the most desirable of which, in each National Forest, may be enlarged into a planting station hereafter. At the stations nursery stock of many valuable timber trees is grown for local planting and for shipment to adjacent National Forests.

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.

NURSERY AND PLANTING OPERATIONS.

The following instructions are primarily for the use of Forest officers in charge of nurseries. It will be necessary, however, for the officer to use his own judgment in applying them.

Seed collecting.-The chief points in collecting seed are to collect mature cones, before the seed scales open, from large, well-formed trees; to open the cones by exposure to the sun, if possible; if not, by the use of artificial heat; to clean the seed by screening or winnowing; to store the seed in a cool, dry place, away from mice and rats.

Nursery site.-Comparatively level, deep, moderately fertile, well-drained soil is best. If available, at least one-half acre should be set aside for a ranger nursery. Of this, much the larger part will be required for transplant beds after the first or second year. Larger nurseries will, of course, require proportionately more ground. A ranger's nursery site should be located as near as possible to headquarters.

Seed beds. In ranger nurseries a convenient size for seed beds is from 4 feet to 6 feet wide and 12 feel long. In larger nurseries the beds should be longer. Paths 18 inches wide should separate the beds. To insure drainage, the beds should be raised from 2 to 3 inches above the surface of the ground. The soil should be thoroughly prepared and the surface made smooth before the seed is planted.

Seed sowing. The seed may be sown either in shallow drills or broadcast on the beds. Drills are best, since the seedlings can be cultivated more easily. The drills should be 6 inches apart, deep enough to cover the seed, and should run across the beds. They may be made by dragging a sharpened stick along