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econd Council Meet.........( )

[[underline]] r. Fisher [[/underline]] : Just a few words on the work of Piper. He has been making tests in trapping to demonstrate how successful the poisoning operations have been.
     In the Coconino Forest, Colorado, where we made 
4 experiments, reports from rangers show that there 
is a good stand of Douglas fir and lodge-pole pine, as well as yellow pine. We feared we would unsuccessful in killing the mammals because the whole area was covered with fallen logs and the ripening strawberiies reddened the ground, furnishing hiding places and food in abundance. Chipmunks and ground squirrels were seen in great numbers. After treating the area with poisoned cracklings, tallow-covered wheat [[strikethrough]]ed[[/strikethrough]], and starch-coated grain, Mr. Piper returned in 10 days and found little evidence of animal life there, and few, if any, strawberries were found on top of the logs where chipmunks or ground squirrels carry food to be eaten.   A series of traps caught few chipmunks or white-footed mice, demonstrating the absence of these rodents. In this area lodge-pole pine and Douglas fir were planted, and the ranger reports a fine stand. The only partial failure we had was in one of the yellow pine areas which produced plenty of seedlings, but jays, nutcrackers, pinyon jays and juncos did considerable damage to the young plants.  When at the experiment station near San Francisco Mountain I saw a number of juncos try to get in the wire screen enclosure to feed on young pines just appearing above ground.
     It is believed that the majority of the forestry men consider that planting of seedlings, rather than seed, is the proper way to reforest areas. The Secretary has great faith in the seeding method, consequently it is being thoroughly tested.

     Before looking into this matter of tree growth, I had little idea of the vicissitudes a tree went through from the time it emerged from the seed until it reached a resistant height.  The seeds are destroyed by mammals and seed-eating birds; the young plants by the same enemies; later, field mice and rabbits girdle them; when still larger, deer and cattle run them down, and when about 6 or 8 feet high, and danger from rodents is past, insects and fire are to be reckoned with.  The timber tree has gone through many dangers, and probably is the survival of many thousands or hundreds of thousands of seeds.

[[underline]] . Birdseye [[/underline]] : In estimating the number of treess in one of the nurseries in the Cabinet Forest, we found that in one bed there were 1100 trees to the square foot -- which shows how thickly trees can be grown in nurseries. They can thus be raised and handled very cheaply.

[[underline]] . Fisher [[/underline]] : In our plans for next spring, I have arranged for grain at Coconino and Cochetopa Forests. The Pike Forest is so comparatively near Denver that I have postponed ordering for that forest until spring. Prof. Lantz has corresponded with the Pintsch oil people at Denver and from what we have learned it is probable that we shall endeavor to complete extermination with Pintsch oil instead of carbon bin.