MARCH 1960
KLAMATH TRIBUNE
Pago 3
Experimental Tract On Burn Area Planted To Pine Seedlings
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The seedling planting program and growth patterns of the area
being replanted are illustrated by the above pictures. The top pic
ture shows Bennett Foster, forester with the trust management
staff, operating the seedling planter. At center a pondcrosa pine
seedling, typical of those used in the planting program, with a long
root in relation to the top, is shown. At bottom, a new log bears
witness to changes in the growth rate of trees in the area. The
rings have been marked at 10 qear intervals for easy reading to
show the growth history of the particular tree over the past 60
years. Growth per 10 years since the 30 year point, when the sur
rounding area was first logged, is seen as much greater than prior
to the first logging.
A .0-acrc tract near Solomon
Hutti was experimentally planted
to ponderosa pine seedlings on
ponderosa pine seedlings on
March 24 -Jo" ly the I'. S. National
Uank trustee. The tract, hnrned
over by last year's fire, received
approximately MX) seedlings per
acre in a "1J x 1J" pattern (1J
feet intervals between seedlings
in all directions), considered an
ideal growing pattern.
K. L. Mezger, chief forester for
the management staff, reports
that the seedlings, l().(KX)of them,
were obtained from the State of
Oregon nursery at Klkton at a
cost of $7.(X) per thousand. (Such
seedlings can be ordered by any
landowner and at a comparable
price for orders of l().(XX)or more,
Mezger advises). The seedlings
are J years old and so developed
as to have a root several times
longer than the top. Mezger ex
plains that the long root increases
the seedling's chances for survival
in the pumice soil of this area
where moisture dries up quickly.
The timing of the seedling
planting is deemed highly im
portant. "Karly spring is the ideal
time" Mezger states. " There is a
limited period you can plant in
the spring to expect survival.
There are only a couple of weeks
when you can really go at it after
the snows and befor? the ground
is dried out."
Trust officials expect the ex
perimental planting to help de
fine the possibilities of reforest
ing the general burn area through
use of seedlings. The experiment
al tract is considered representa
tive of the surrounding area in
amount of fire damage and in
soil and moisture conditions, and
has typically good growth char
acteristics. Xew stumps on the
tract provide a graphic illustra
tion of the growth possibilities of
the region tinder scientific plant
ing. Rings on these stumps form
ed since the original logging of
the area M) years ago are much
larger than rings formed before
the area was logged.
"The growth rate I would
guess increased b about 4 times
after cutting. Scientific planting
can give a similarly fast growth
rate," Mezger states.
The results of the seedling
planting will be particularly noted
for comparison with the seed
planting program conducted last
fall. On Nov. 16 and 17, 1959,
nearly 4XX) lbs of ponderosa seed
was planted by helicopter on
some JKX) acres on and near
Solomon Mutte. Management of
ficials will begin investigating the
results of this program in about
one month, when the germination
period begins. Final results are
expected to be ascertained by late
this summer. At that time tests
will also be made on the seedlings
to determine what has survived.
Commenting on these two ap
proaches to reforestation, Mezger
points out that seedlings can be
expected to have a much higher
rate of survival than seed. Off
setting this advantage, however,
is the much greater time and ex
pense involved in planting seed
lings. Thus, days were needed
to plant the M-aerc experimental
tract as contrasted with the less
than J full days used to drop seed
on the JKX) acres of Solomon
Hutte area.
"If you can get even limited
success with seeding it is certain
ly worth the effort," Mezger
summarizes.
Other recent developments in
remaining area management in
clude distribution of a $4(X) pay
ment on March 15, purchase of
fJ head of calves in add to the
Agency Farm operation, and hir
ing of Boyd Jackson, Jr., a re
maining member, on March 21
to assist Dell Overton in running
the Agency harm.
SECOND UNIT SALE
(Continued from Page 1)
value of the lands determined as
provided in subsection (c) of this
section, unless a different amount
is provided by law enacted prior
to the proclamation of the Sec
retary of Agriculture. Appropria
tion of funds for that purpose is
hereby authorized. Payment shall
be made as soon as possible after
the proclamation of the Secretary
of Agriculture. Such lauds shall
become national forest lauds sub
ject to tin laws that are applic
able to lands acquired pursuant to
the Act of March 1, 1911 (Mi Stat.
ol ), as amended. Any of the for
est units that are offered for sale
ami that are not sold or taken
pursuant to subsection (h) or (d)
of this sretion shall be subject
to s.dc without limitation on use
in accordance with the provisions
of section 5 of this Act."
A man in Alaska was arrested
for bigamy. It was discovered
that he had a wife in Nome, an
other in Fairbanks and a third in
Juneau. The judge looked down
at the culprit and sternly re
marked : "I low could you do such
a thing?"
The bigamist replied: "Fast
dog team."