Our National Forests Part 3

Figure 35. A forest fire lookout station on the summit of Brokeoff Mountain, elevation 9,500 feet. La.s.sen National Forest, California. Photo by the author 128

Figure 36. Turner Mountain lookout station, La.s.sen National Forest, California. This is a 10 ft. by 10 ft.

cabin with a stove and with folding bed, table, and chairs. The forest officer stationed here watches for forest fires day and night throughout the fire season.

Photo by the author 128

Figure 37. A fire line cut through the low bush-like growth of "Chaparral" on the Angeles National Forest, California. This "Chaparral" is of great value for regulating stream flow. The streams are used for water power, domestic purposes, and for irrigating many of the largest lemon and orange groves of southern California 132

Figure 38. A forest officers' temporary camp while fighting forest fires. Near Oregon National Forest, Oregon 132

Figure 39. Putting out a ground fire. Even if the fire does not burn the standing timber, it kills the young trees and so weakens the larger ones that they are easily blown over. Wallowa National Forest, Oregon 136

Figure 40. Forest officers ready to leave a tool box for a forest fire in the vicinity. Such tool boxes as these are stationed at convenient places on National Forests ready for any emergency. Arapaho National Forest, Colorado 136

Figure 41. A forest fire on the Wasatch National Forest, Utah. Forest officers trying to stop a forest fire by cutting a fire line. Note the valuable growth of young trees which they are trying to save at the right 140

Figure 42. A forest fire running in dense underbrush on one of the National Forests in Oregon 144

Figure 43. Men in a dense forest with heavy undergrowth clearing away brush to stop the fire as it is running down hill. Crater National Forest, Oregon 144

Figure 44. Fire in a Lodgepole pine forest in Colorado. Arapaho National Forest, Colorado 148

Figure 45. A mountain fire in "Chaparral" five hours after it started. Pasadena, California 148

Figure 46. A few years ago this was a green, luxuriant forest. Picture taken after the great fires of August 20, 1910, on the Coeur d'Alene National Forest near Wallace, Idaho 152

Figure 47. The first evidence of insect attack are the reddish brown pitch tubes on the bark. Lodgepole pine infested by the mountain pine beetle. La.s.sen National Forest, California. Photo by the author 156

Figure 48. The last stage of an insect-attacked tree.

The tree is dead and the dry bark is falling off. La.s.sen National Forest, California. Photo by the author 156

Figure 49. Wrecked farm buildings due to flood of May 21, 1901, Nolichucky River, near Erwin, Tenn. This is one result of denuding the Appalachian Mountains of their forest cover 162

Figure 50. When steep hillsides are stripped of their forest growth, erosion results. Erosion has been especially serious in the Appalachian Mountains. View taken in Madison County, North Carolina 162

Figure 51. A fertile corn-field covered with sand, gravel and debris brought down from the mountains by floods. These farm lands are ruined beyond redemption.

This could have been prevented by preserving the forests on the watershed of this river 166

Figure 52. A view towards Mt. Adams and the headwaters of Lewis River. Council Lake in the foreground. National forest lands lie at the headwaters of practically every large western river. This means that the water supply for the western people used for domestic use, water power, and irrigation is being protected from pollution and destruction. View taken on the Rainier National Forest, Was.h.i.+ngton 172

Figure 53. A large storage reservoir used to irrigate the ranches in the valley below. Elevation 10,500 feet.

Battlement National Forest, Colorado. Photo by the author 176

Figure 54. A sheep herder's camp used temporarily by Forest Service timber cruisers. Elevation about 10,000 feet. Battlement National Forest, Colorado. Photo by author. 176

Figure 55. View taken in the Coast Range mountains of California where Sugar pine and Douglas fir and the princ.i.p.al trees. Klamath National Forest, California.

Photo by the author 180

Figure 56. A typical mountain scene in the California Coast Range. On these steep slopes a forest cover is of vital importance. Klamath National Forest, California.

Photo by the author 180

Figure 57. A forest officer at work on a high mountain peak making a plane-table survey and timber estimate of National Forest lands. Photo by the author 182

Figure 58. A government timber cruiser's summer camp.

These cruisers get a fairly accurate estimate of Uncle Sam's timber resources at a cost of from 2 to 5 cents an acre. Photo by the author 182

Figure 59. Forest officers moving camp while engaged in winter reconnoissance work. All food, beds, and clothing are packed on "Alaska" sleds and drawn by the men themselves. Photo by the author 184

Figure 60. A winter reconnoissance camp showing snow-shoes, skis, "Alaska" sleds, and bull hide used to repair the webbing on the snow-shoes. La.s.sen National Forest, California. Photo by the author 184

Figure 61. A group of giant redwoods. Santa Cruz County, California 186

Figure 62. A big Sugar pine tree about six feet in diameter. This is the most valuable timber species in California. Photo by the author 188

Figure 63. A Western Yellow pine forest in California.

These trees are from four to six feet in diameter and from 150 to 200 feet high. Note the Forest Service timber cruiser measuring the tree at the left. Photo by the author. 188

Figure 64. Logging in California. Powerful steam engines pull the logs from the woods to the railroad and load them on flat cars. Photo by the author 190

Figure 65. The loaded flat cars reach the sawmill where the logs are unloaded and sawn into lumber. During the fiscal year 1917 timber sales on the National Forests brought into the National Treasury almost $1,700,000.00.

Photo by the author 190

Figure 66. Scene in Montana. Forest officers constructing a telephone line through the Flathead National Forest 192

Figure 67. Forest Ranger, accompanied by a lumberman, marking National Forest timber for cutting in a timber sale. Coconino National Forest, Arizona 192

Figure 68. An excellent ill.u.s.tration showing the difference between unrestricted logging as practiced by lumbermen, and conservative logging as practiced by the Forest Service. In the foreground is the unrestricted logging which strips the soil of every stick of timber both large and small; in the background is the Forest Service logging area which preserves the young growth to insure a future supply of timber for the West. Bitterroot National Forest, Montana 194

Figure 69. View showing the Forest Service method of piling the brush and debris after logging, and also how stump heights are kept down to prevent waste. New Mexico 196

Figure 70. A tie-cutting operation on a National Forest. These piles of railroad ties are being inspected, stamped, and counted by Forest rangers. From this point the ties are "skidded" to the banks of a stream to be floated to the s.h.i.+pping point. Near Evanston, Wyoming 196

Figure 71. Brush piles on a cut-over area before burning. Forest Service methods aim to clean up the forest after logging so that forest fires have less inflammable material to feed on. Bitterroot National Forest, Montana 198

Figure 72. At a time of the year when there is least danger from fire the brush piles are burned. Missoula National Forest, Montana 198

Figure 73. Counting sheep as they leave the corral.

Sheep and cattle are pastured on the National Forests at so many cents per head, hence they must be counted before they enter in the spring. Wasatch National Forest, Utah 208

Figure 74. Logging National Forest timber. Santa Fe National Forest, New Mexico 208

Figure 75. Sheep grazing on the Montezuma National Forest at the foot of Mt. Wilson, Colorado. Over 7,500,000 sheep and goats grazed on the National Forests during the fiscal year 1917 216

Figure 76. Grazing cattle on a National Forest in Colorado. Permits were issued during 1917 to graze over 2,000,000 cattle, horses, and swine on the National Forests 216

Figure 77. North Clear Creek Falls, Rio Grande National Forest, Colorado. The National Forests contain about one-third of all the potential water-power resources of the United States 230

Figure 78. The power plant of the Colorado Power Company, on the Grand River, Holy Cross National Forest, Colorado. Every fiscal year there is a substantial increase in water power development on the National Forests 230