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KEEN to MUNGER - PAGE 5 OF 7
KEEN1
Keen, F. P. 1936. Relative susceptibility of ponderosa
pines to bark-beetle attack. Journal of Forestry. 34: 919-927.
Abstract: Heavy killing of ponderosa pine in
the Pacific Northwest from attacks by western pine beetle, particularly
in the early and mid 1930s, raised concerns about how to control
or eliminate such losses. Both from the immediate viewpoint of
timber salvage and from the forestry objective of a satisfactory
silvicultural situation, one of the first requirements in solving
the pine beetle problem was to determine what type of tree presents
the greatest risk of beetle attack. Once that type of tree was
recognized, it was possible to make partial cuttings to remove
beetle-susceptible trees, either in anticipation of salvage or
to reduce the risk of future mortality from bark beetles. During
the previous decade, silviculturists and entomologists had extensively
studied the relative susceptibility of different types of ponderosa
pine to pine-beetle attack. The studies revealed that the risk
of being killed by western pine beetles was significantly greater
for trees of certain types than it was for other trees in the
same stand. In general, the trees most susceptible to attack were
the weaker, less vigorous individuals and, to a certain degree,
the oldest pines. A “bark-beetle susceptibility classification”
was eventually developed after extensive field study. It was initially
based on the Dunning tree-vigor classification system developed
for northern California. However, it was soon noticed that marked
differences in bark-beetle susceptibility existed within some
of the Dunning tree classes and, in some cases, the differences
within a Dunning class might be greater than differences between
classes. So, it was decided to develop a more detailed classification
consisting of a larger number of small, homogenous, easily-recognized
tree types that could be readily used in the field. The new classification
was based to a large extent upon the same considerations of age,
dominance, and vigor that Dunning used to delineate his seven
classes, but trees are grouped into a larger number of classes.
The two characteristics of age and vigor were given the most importance.
Four age groups were recognized, designated 1 to 4 (young, immature,
mature, and overmature, as based on “physiological”
age rather than chronological age); four categories of crown vigor
were used, designated A to D (full, fair to moderate, fair to
poor, very poor). Combining these two factors produced a classification
with 16 groups (illustrated in figure 1 of the article). Field
studies showed that in each age group, susceptibility increased
with a decrease in crown vigor, except that in older groups there
was a slight tendency for trees in vigor class C to be more susceptible
than those in class D. The study also showed that bark beetles
appeared to be carrying on a natural selection process in which
the weaker trees are thinned out of the stand by the beetles and
that survival of the dominant trees was favored. Trees with crown
vigor classes of C or D were susceptible to pine-beetle attack,
those with B crowns had intermediate susceptibility, and dominant,
A-crown trees were resistant. Keen believed the beetles to be
Nature's silvicultural agents, serving to relieve the “pressure”
of severe tree competition and overcrowding. Keen also provides
an example of how the susceptibility classification could be applied
in marking.
KEEN2
Keen, F. P. 1950. The influence of insects on ponderosa
pine silviculture. Journal of Forestry. 48: 186-188.
Abstract: The silvics of any forest type are
determined by the interaction of climatic, edaphic, and environmental
factors on the tree species involved. This “law” was
well recognized by most foresters, but Keen wondered how often
it was recognized that insects may be the dominant environmental
factor determining the silvics of a forest type. He then described
how bark beetles were nature's principal silvical agent in regulating,
thinning, and harvesting ponderosa pine stands before the advent
of anthropogenic management based on European precedents. What
impressed Keen was that the “silvicultural” process
applied by the beetles was often indicative of the best natural
silvicultural system that could be used with the ponderosa pine
type. He then observed that there were several different species
of bark beetle operating across the wide geographical range of
ponderosa pine, and that there appeared to be at least two races
or forms of the species in that same area (the Pacific Coast form,
and the Rocky Mountain form). The article then goes on to describe
the ecological or silvical effects of various bark beetle species
in the ponderosa pine forests of the western United States. It
has the following sections: mountain pine beetle; western pine
beetle; Black Hills beetle; other insects; and literature cited.
Keen ends with this quote from Solomon: “go to the ant,
thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise,” which he
translated into this advice for the silviculturist – study
the insects, and learn of their ways.
WENAHA5
Kent, W. H. B. 1904. The proposed Wenaha Forest
Reserve, Washington and Oregon. Unpublished typescript report obtained
from the National Archives, College Park, MD; record group 95. [Place
of publication unknown]: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Bureau
of Forestry. 22 p.
Abstract: This report describes an examination
of the proposed Wenaha Forest Reserve in northeastern Oregon and
southeastern Washington. The report includes these sections: topography;
climate and precipitation (including mean monthly temperature
and precipitation amounts for Walla Walla, Washington); the forest;
industries; the forest as a protection cover; settlements; roads
and railroads; lumbering; grazing; fire; game; sentiment; conclusions;
and administration. It includes some interesting insights about
early forest conditions, as illustrated with these quotes: “White
fir, though of slower height growth, is far more tolerant than
bull pine, reproduces fairly freely, and under normal conditions
would naturally supplant the pine in time. This condition has
been greatly aggravated in the portions that have been lumbered
by cutting the pine and leaving the white fir. The fir, often
already on the ground under the pine, springs up, and pine reproduction
is thus impossible.” “Thirty-five years ago the summits
and upper slopes of the high interior hills probably had but little
more forest cover than at present, but these high hills were then
covered with a profuse growth of bunch grass, weeds, and shrubs,
which have since been destroyed by small fires and sheep grazing.
This growth of weeds and shrubs has been replaced largely by hard,
baked earth, and often bare rock from which the scanty soil has
been completely eroded.” “There has been practically
no lumbering on the area included in the proposed reserve. Considerable
timber has been cut, however, from the foothills of the west and
southwest sides. As a rule, these foothill lands are cleared after
lumbering and make excellent farms. This lumbering is done on
a very small scale, the mills cutting but a few thousand feet
a day. The logs are sawed on the ground and the lumber marketed
in the nearby towns.” “Practically every portion of
the reserve has suffered more or less from fire. The largest and
most important of these was one which came from the present Umatilla
Indian Reservation about fifty years ago, burned up the river
Umatilla, into the Reserve, then turned north along the west slope,
across the heads of the Walla Wallas, and reached as far as the
head of the Wenaha. This burn has generally restocked finely,
principally to tamarack and lodgepole pine.”
CASCADE1
Kent, W. H. B. 1907. Silvics report, Cascade (S).
Unpublished typescript report obtained from the National Archives,
College Park, MD; record group 95. [Place of publication unknown]:
[U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service]. 2 p.
Abstract: This short report describes an examination
of on-going timber sales in the Cascade (S) National Forest(?).
The author discusses in some detail the timber sales purchased
by D. M. Griffith (sold in 1906) and by Klamath Lake Mill and
Lumber Company (sold in 1906). He ends the report with some general
comments on the silvicultural situation for the Cascade (S) Forest,
including observations such as: “the principal difficulty
in securing reproduction will be in contending with inferior species.”
KOCH1
Koch, Elers. 1942. History of the 1910 forest fires
in Idaho and western Montana. Unpublished report. [Place of publication
unknown]: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. 25 p.
Abstract: The 1910 forest fires in the northern
Rocky Mountains did much to shape subsequent fire policy for not
only western Forest Service regions but the entire country. This
history of the 1910 fires in the northern Rockies was prepared
by an individual who took part in it – as both Forest Supervisor
of the Lolo National Forest in 1910 and as active participant
in fire fighting and logistics efforts. Koch mentions that Fred
Morrell compiled a lot of historical documentation about the 1910
fires in 1926, and that he (Koch) made liberal use of that material
when preparing this history report. This accession has the following
sections: foreward; the organization in 1910; the great fire;
the Coeur d'Alene and St. Joe; the burning of Wallace; Pulaski's
crew – Placer Creek; Bell's crew – Middle Fork Big
Creek; Rock's crew – Setzer Creek; Debitt's crew –
Setzer Creek; Hollingshead's crew – West Fork Big Creek;
Danielson's crew – Stevens Peak; Taylor's crew – Bullion
mine; Joe Helm's crew – St. Joe River; the Milwaukee Railroad;
individual experiences; burying the dead and payment of claims;
Lolo forest; Roy A. Phillips' story; Cabinet National Forest;
Tuscor Fire; Pend Oreille National Forest; DeFaut Fire; Kaniksu
National Forest; Clearwater Forest; Moose Creek Crew; Kootenai
forest; Nezperce forest; damage; salvage of timber; Coeur d'Alene;
St. Joe; Lolo (St. Regis drainage, now on Cabinet); Cabinet; after
effects of the fire; and references, 1910 fire history, Region
One.
KUHNS 1964
Kuhns, Edith Y. 1964. The Mottet Meadows Fire,
Wenaha National Forest, 1919. Timber-Lines. 18(June): 45-49.
Abstract: This interesting article was written
by a relatively new forest clerk who reported to work one day
to find a note that said there was a bad fire at Mottet Meadows,
and that she should start trying to find tools, buy grub (3 lists
were left her – one for 25 men, one for 50, and one for
100), and stay by the phone awaiting further instructions. She
spent the next 6 weeks doing the office work associated with this
fire. Although it begins with the fire episode, most of this article
deals with the life of a forest clerk, especially a female one
working at locations that had never had a female clerk before
(previously, only male clerks had been allowed to work at the
Forest or District levels)
KUMMEL1
Kummel, J. F. 1910. Planting on the national forests.
Unpublished Paper. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Forest Service, North Pacific District. 23 p.
Abstract: This paper, which was delivered at
the District 6 Supervisor's Meeting on March 25, 1910, describes
reforestation practices, and attitudes, at a very early point
in the administration of national forests in the Pacific Northwest.
At the time of this paper, an extensive reconnaissance had been
completed of the westside national forests, and approximately
600,000 acres were found to be in need of reforestation. No similar
figures were available at that time for the eastside forests.
Much of the early portion of this report is devoted to making
the case that planting makes good financial sense, at least in
the productive, westside Douglas-fir forests. The author recommends
that studies be continued, and new ones begun, in order to answer
the many questions surrounding reforestation. Seeding is recommended
over planting, mostly because it is cheaper and was viewed as
obtaining results quicker. The importance of an aggressive seed
collection program is emphasized, regardless of whether future
reforestation efforts concentrate on direct seeding, or planting.
BLUEMTN8
Kummel, Julius F. 1918. Final report: Fp-102(c)
– test of season of planting western white pine in the Blue
Mountain region. Unpublished typescript report obtained from the
National Archives, College Park, MD; record group 95. [Place of
publication unknown]: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service,
Whitman National Forest. 8 p.
Abstract: In connection with experiments designed
to test the adaptability of western white pine in the Blue Mountains
region of northeastern Oregon and southeastern Washington, various
plantations were established on the Whitman National Forest in
1914, 1915 and 1916. Since the experiments were repeated in two
successive fall seasons and in two successive springs, they afforded
an excellent opportunity to compare season of planting. The first
series of plantations were installed at five different localities
in the fall of 1914 and the spring of 1915, with three being in
the north slope sub-type and two in the transition type. In the
fall of 1915 and spring of 1916, the tests were repeated in each
locality in the transition type, in two of the former localities
in the north slope sub-type, and in an entirely new location in
the north slope sub-type. The tests varied in size from 25 to
100 trees each. Every tree was marked by a numbered stake. According
to Table 1 in this report, the seed sources for the planting stock
were Crater, and Wenatchee; there is no mention of where the planting
stock was grown. This report provides preliminary results from
the study; results are reported separately for the north slope
sub-type tests and the transition type tests. In the north slope
sub-type plantings, fall planting had much lower survival than
spring planting for the tests established in 1914-1915 (56 versus
86 percent), but slightly higher survival for the 1915-1916 tests
(87 percent for fall; 81 percent for spring). Results were somewhat
similar for the tests in the transition type. Weather, particularly
winter conditions that featured severe cold directly after planting
and before a protective blanket of snow had fallen, were believed
to be the reason for the relatively poor performance of the fall-planted
stock for 1914-1915. Weather Bureau records described December
of 1914 as the “coldest and driest December in the last
25 years.” Snowfall was deficient throughout that winter.
In contrast, the winter of 1915-1916 featured snowfall during
November and December that was above normal. The author noted
that the effects of the poor winter of 1914-15 were also felt
during the following growing season, since some trees were killed
that winter while others survived but were weakened to the extent
that they eventually died in the following summer. The report
ends with these conclusions: western white pine could be planted
successfully in both the north slope and transition types of the
Blue Mountains and in either fall or spring; spring planting appeared
to give more uniform results since there was less influence by
weather conditions; fall planting is subject to heavy winter killing
if weather conditions are unfavorable; due to uncertainty associated
with weather conditions, fall planting was riskier than spring
planting; and bud swelling before planting does not necessarily
produce excessive mortality.
BLUEMTN9
Kummel, Julius F. 1924. Methods and season of direct
seeding western yellow pine. Unpublished typescript report obtained
from the National Archives, College Park, MD; record group 95. [Place
of publication unknown]: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest
Service. 21 p.
Abstract: In the early years of reforestation
work in District (Region) 6 of the Forest Service, a large number
of studies were made to determine whether direct seeding could
be used to restock denuded area with western yellow pine. A few
of the studies were initiated by men from the District Office,
but the majority were installed and examined by local Forest officers
in accordance with general instructions issued by the District
Office. The studies were well distributed throughout the yellow
pine region, spanning sites from those that were quite favorable
to yellow pine to some where the suitability for yellow pine was
questionable. Some studies were initiated in the fall, others
in the spring. Unfortunately, some studies included a range of
sowing densities, treatment methods, etc., whereas others included
a single test only. Some study plots were examined regularly and
frequently, while some were measured sporadically depending upon
the press of other duties. This report includes the following
sections: results (general averages, destruction of seed, methods
to protect seed, mortality after germination, effect of method
of seeding, pregermination of seed, season of sowing, sowing on
snow, and seeding vs. planting); and conclusions. It also includes
several tables, one of which (Table 1) is a long table that summarizes
all studies that were installed to examine direct seeding of western
yellow pine. For the Blue Mountains area, Table 1 shows that studies
were installed on the Malheur NF in Little Bear Creek, on the
Minam NF at Jeldnes & Perry, on the Umatilla NF at Henry Creek
and Kahler Creek, on the Wallowa NF at Bear Creek, Chalk Lick,
Hurricane, and Falls Creek, and on the Whitman at Columbia, Wildcat,
Old Burn, Woodrat, Switchback, and Crawford Meadow. The conclusions
in this final report were: at best, direct seeding is a very unreliable
method for restocking denuded areas in the yellow pine region;
destruction of seed by birds and rodents is one of the major factors
responsible for its failure, as no practical methods were known
for protecting the seed from those losses; drought was often a
major factor, affecting both germination and survival after germination;
seeding methods in which the seed is covered, such as seed-spotting
and raking or harrowing after seeding, appeared to be superior
to simply broadcasting the seed upon the ground; soaking seed
before sowing may have increased germination under certain conditions;
results were inconclusive regarding direct seeding in spring versus
fall; and sowing seed on the surface of the snow gave no better
results than sowing on bare ground.
HEPPNER1
Langille, H. D. 1903. The proposed Heppner Forest
Reserve, Oregon. Unpublished typescript report obtained from the
National Archives, College Park, MD; record group 95. [Place of
publication unknown]: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Bureau of
Forestry. 32 p.
Abstract: This early establishment report includes
the following topics as they pertain to the Heppner Forest Reserve:
introduction; area; topography; climate, precipitation, etc.;
the forest; industries; the forest as a protection cover; settlements;
roads and railroads; lumbering; grazing; forest fires; administration
necessary; and sentiment. This excellent accession was originally
accompanied by a map and some photographs, both of which would
provide valuable information if they could be located. As was
the case with other reports, Langille offers some interesting
insights in this document: “It was everywhere observed that
upon tracts upon which there is no forest cover there is no soil.
At one time these areas were covered with soil to a depth of from
one to two feet, and sufficient soil binding vegetation grew upon
it to resist the destructive elements – wind and water –
but persistent overgrazing destroyed this cover, and, there being
no tree growth to protect the soil, it rapidly disappeared, leaving
nothing but a bed of exposed rocks.” “I have long
contended that sheep would not browse upon coniferous species
unless driven to it by hunger, but while watching a band ranging
in open pine woods I saw an old ewe approach a pine about 3 feet
in height, rise upon her hind feet, and deftly gather in, in a
manner born of practice and long experience, the tender spring
growth which topped the seedling.” “You who have studied
this question know more about it than any of us can know. Go up
into the mountains and look over the situation; if you think a
Reserve will benefit our county, go ahead and create it. I have
confidence enough in my Government to believe that nothing will
be done which will injure our county or community, and I am willing
to leave it to you” (Mr. George Couser, Mayor of Heppner,
as quoted in this report).
CHESNIM3
Langille, H. D. 1904. Supplemental report on the
proposed Chesnimnus Forest Reserve, Oregon. Unpublished typescript
report obtained from the National Archives, College Park, MD; record
group 95. [Place of publication unknown]: U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Bureau of Forestry. 15 p.
Abstract: This report describes the proposed
Chesnimnus Forest Reserve, an area of 185,140 acres in the Blue
Mountains of northeastern Oregon. The following topics are included
in the report: location and topography; area; climate; the forest;
stand of timber; alienated lands; industries; grazing; sentiment;
administration; and recommendations. This report supplements a
very short one prepared in the same year by F. A. Clark; a copy
of Clark’s report is also present in the silviculture library
history archives.
BLUEMTN1
Langille, H. D. 1906. Report on the proposed Blue
Mountains Forest Reserve. Unpublished typescript report obtained
from the National Archives, College Park, MD; record group 95. [Place
of publication unknown]: [U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest
Service]. 40 p.
Abstract: This important report describes conditions
on approximately 3,000,000 acres that were contained in a proposed
Blue Mountains Forest Reserve. The following topics were discussed:
boundaries and topography; climate, including average annual precipitation
amounts for 12 locations in Oregon and Washington; agricultural
settlements; alienated lands; timber; the stock industry; mining
camps; roads and trails; examination; public sentiment; the miner’s
objections; recommendations (eliminations, additions); future
management of the reserves; and placer mining in the proposed
Blue Mountain Forest Reserve. A short transmittal memorandum to
the Secretary of the Interior, from Langille, dated April 30,
1906 is also included with the report. According to that memorandum,
the report was accompanied by two maps: a map of the reserve,
and a map of the mining district. Neither of those maps were contained
on the microfiche material from the University of Washington,
or in the report’s folder at the National Archives in College
Park, Maryland. The report also references some photographs (perhaps
a half dozen or so), and they also were missing from the microfiche
and National Archives copies. Unfortunately, the microfiche version
of this report was scratched near the bottom, resulting in several
instances where one or more lines at the bottom of a page were
unreadable. The version at the National Archives is very ledgible,
but it was not copied – unfortunately, I forgot about the
unreadable portions and didn’t copy the Archives one because
I knew we already had a copy. This report offers a wealth of interesting
insights, as demonstrated by the following quotes: “During
a number of years past the Grande Ronde Lumber Company has been
operating along the Grande Ronde river and the destruction of
the forests which has followed this cutting is deplorable indeed.
The hillsides have been wiped clean of every thing large enough
for saw timber of any kind. In many places fire has followed the
cutting and the destruction is complete.” “The Company’s
mills are located at Perry, and the logs are driven down the river.
At the time of my visit millions of feet of logs were being banked
along the small streams which form the headwaters of the Grande
Ronde. A very few years of such work as is being done by the Company
would denude the entire watershed of this stream.” “During
the past 20 years this Company has been actively engaged in acquiring
title to timber lands, not only in this part of the State but
elsewhere. It is common knowledge that their employees have been
supplied with funds with which to purchase lands under the Timber
and Stone Act, and it is a matter of record that these claims
have been transferred to the Company on the same day or the day
following receipt of patent.” “Sheep from Wasco, Crook,
Sherman, Gilliam, Umatilla and Morrow Counties are driven to the
mountains early each season and ranged up to the very doors of
the actual settlers and cattle owners. There has been some trouble
in the past resulting in bloodshed, but nothing as serious as
that which threatens to come about in the near future.”
“A few years ago Eastern Oregon was one of the best range
sections of the West. The rich bunch grass waved knee deep on
hill and plain in such close growth that it was mowed with machines
for hay.” “At high elevations there are numerous tracts
of a swampy nature in which different grasses and weeds of characteristic
species occur and on the hills and in old burns peavine and other
forage plants grow in greatest profusion. I was told by an ex-sheepherder
that about 15 years ago he drove a band of sheep into these hills
and camped 40 days in one place.” “The timber and
water supply of the Blue Mountains is invaluable to the entire
surrounding country. As I have shown the timber is in demand from
points 150 miles distant; the streams flow through semi-arid plains
in all directions and the latent resources of these distant lands
can be developed only by the application of the waters from these
mountains.”
division r days.pdf
Langille, Harold D. 1956. Mostly Division "R"
days. Oregon Historical Quarterly. 57(4): 301-313.
Abstract: Subtitle of this article is: reminiscences
of the stormy, pioneering days of the forest reserves. Langille
was instrumental in the establishment of forest reserves in the
Blue Mountains: he was the author of establishment reports for
the Heppner Forest Reserve (1903), the Chesnimnus Forest Reserve
(1904), and the Blue Mountains Forest Reserve (1906). In this
article, Langille explains that he first became familiar with
the Cascade Mountains after accepting a position as handyman at
the Cloud Cap Inn on Mount Hood in 1892. While working there,
he became involved in guiding tourists and his main hobby was
collection of the alpine flora. Since the Inn was used as a base
for scientific explorations of the area, he was exposed to leading
scientists of the day, including Gannett, Pinchot, Newell, Coville,
Merriam, Bailey, Sargent, Brewer, and Professor J. G. Lemmon of
California. President Cleveland created the Cascade Range Forest
Reserve on September 28, 1893, a withdrawal that included the
Mount Hood area Langille had been working in. He discusses early
grazing controversies involving sheep use of the reserve, and
describes a visit from the Forest Commission of the National Academy
of Sciences in 1896. During the Commission's visit, Langille interacted
with Sargent and corrected his classification of Abies nobilis
and pointed out a variety of Engelmann spruce that Sargent had
not previously described. In 1900, Gannett asked Langille to join
government service and examine the Cascade Range Forest Reserve.
Early in 1902, Langille was appointed an inspector in Division
R of the General Land Office, chiefly on the recommendation of
Gifford Pinchot. He then describes inspection activities in eastern
Oregon, including one occasion where he visited the G.L.O. office
in La Grande and learned that a train car load of timber locators
had arrived that morning from Minnesota and immediately left for
the Wallowa country. Langille wired the Secretary and requested
temporary withdrawal of all forested townships, thereby heading
off the Minnesota applications. The later part of this article
discusses the most controversial of all the reserve withdrawals
that Langille ever worked with: the Blue Mountains Forest Reserve.
He discusses meetings in Canyon City, Prineville, Greenhorn, and
other towns that were instrumental in building support for the
reserve, although some of those meetings were controversial and
stressful.
WHITMAN19
Leve, Walter H. 1920. Review of results to date
in experiments 2, 4, 14, 15, 16. Unpublished typescript report obtained
from the National Archives, College Park, MD; record group 95. [Place
of publication unknown]: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest
Service, Whitman National Forest. 9 p.
Abstract: The subtitle of this accession is
“Test of species, western yellow pine and western white
pine in the Blue Mountain Region and test of season of planting,
western yellow pine and western white pine, in the Blue Mountain
Region, District 6.” In 1914, 1915, and 1916 a number of
experimental plantations of western yellow (ponderosa) pine and
western white pine were established on certain logged-off and
burned areas in the Douglas-fir-larch type on the Whitman National
Forest. The experimental areas had been previously covered by
a stand of Douglas-fir, western larch, lodgepole pine, white fir
and other true firs in varying proportions. One of the areas had
been covered by a young lodgepole pine stand that had burned in
1910. Another, the Columbia area, was on the upper edge of the
type in what would probably have been called the transition type
under the old classification system. Western yellow pine was occasionally
found in the type but not usually in any great quantity. Western
white pine was not usually found in the type but was more valuable
than the tree species that did occur there. Because of the fact
that timber sales were being conducted in the Douglas-fir-larch
type, it was desired to ascertain whether the cut-over areas could
be restocked with the more valuable western yellow pine and western
white pine. The experiments were designed to test season of planting
as well as species, so every precaution was made to make the comparison
plantations identical in every respect possible. All planting
stock came from the Wind River Nursery. Preliminary results were
extremely varied, ranging from 8 to 98 percent survival for yellow
pine and 8 to 100 percent for white pine. Some of the heavy losses
could be attributed to “extraneous” factors such as
damage from gophers, porcupines, other rodents, and from trampling
by sheep and cattle. As of the 1919 examination, the yellow pine
seemed to be making better growth than the white pine, as described
in a planting report: “thus far the yellow pine seems to
be better acclimated than the white pine, the latter taking on
a very bushy form with several leaders to each small tree.”
This report includes four tables, one of them quite long, that
include information about study area locations, results, and so
forth. The major conclusions of this report were: preliminary
results indicated that western yellow pine was well adapted to
the Douglas-fir-larch forest type in the Blue Mountains and makes
thrifty growth there; weather conditions immediately following
planting were the factor controlling success of either fall or
spring planting; rodent injury was probably more prevalent and
more severe in winter than in summer; and advanced growth before
planting (such as bud burst and shoot elongation associated with
healing-in of planting stock) in the spring does not necessarily
result in heavy mortality.
IDAHO2
Lowdermilk, W. C.; Hamilton, George. 1922. The
secondary species problem. Unpublished typescript report obtained
from the National Archives, College Park, MD; record group 95. [Place
of publication unknown]: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest
Service. 29 p.
Abstract: In the western white pine stands
of northern Idaho, particularly in the area of the Coeur d'Alene
and Kaniksu National Forests, a considerable portion of the timber
volume was considered unmerchantable for one of two reasons –
there was no market demand for it, or because the trees were defective
due mostly to stem rots. This presented a problem because when
the valuable white pine was harvested, a moderately dense stand
of tolerant, low-value trees (primarily western hemlock and grand
fir) was left behind and they created too much shade to allow
white pine reproduction. Since the tolerant species were unmerchantable,
their removal or disposal was generally an expensive proposition.
This report describes the results of a study that had two objectives:
1) determine the proper treatment for stands containing unsound
hemlock and grand fir; and 2) determine the most economical and
satisfactory method of opening up a stand so as to secure restocking
by western white pine. The report includes the following sections:
introduction; the problem; premises; the object and scope; discussion;
sanitation marking; summary; general conclusions; and an addendum.
The general conclusions of this study were: 1) the destruction
of sound hemlock or grand fir is not justifiable; 2) the liability
of girdled trees is equal to the expense of disposing of the mat
of slash caused by the windthrown trees; 3) portions of the stand
which will not pay their own way in sanitation measures should
be excluded from the timber sale area; 4) the girdling of defective
secondary species is justifiable within certain restrictions;
5) the girdling of trees along trails, roads, and streams to a
distance of one chain on each side is unwise and unsafe; and 6)
a method of treatment involving a sanitation marking will more
nearly satisfy the requirements for restocking and reduction of
the fire hazard to a safe level than other methods that were traditionally
used. The report includes numerous tables and four figures comprised
of black-and-white photographs that depict the plot areas after
treatment.
UMATILLA9
Mansfield, H. Robert. 1939. A plan of management
for Clearwater Working Circle. Unpublished typescript report obtained
from the National Archives, College Park, MD; record group 95. [Place
of publication unknown]: [U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest
Service, Umatilla National Forest]. 35 p.
Abstract: This management plan was prepared
for the Clearwater Working Circle, which was contained in the
Asotin Ranger District of the Umatilla National Forest. It includes
the following sections: introduction; description of the working
circle (location, topography, soils, climate); management problems
(social and economic situation, forest resources and conditions
(ownership, forest types, timber volumes, depletion, growth, sustained
yield capacity, transportation facilities, fire, insect, and disease
protection, silvicultural practices, marketing, acquisition possibilities,
planting, and research problems); and solutions and plans (management
of national forest timber, cooperation and coordination with other
owners, plan for social stability, and miscellaneous). This document
also contains 5 maps and numerous tables that are not reflected
in the page count.
UMATILLA20
Matz, Fred A. 1926. Descriptive report, Hilgard
timber survey project, Umatilla National Forest. Unpublished typescript
report obtained from the National Archives, College Park, MD; record
group 95. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service,
North Pacific District. 38 p.
Abstract: In February of 1925, the Mt. Emily
Lumber Company (whose office and mill were located at La Grande,
Oregon) made application for the purchase of Government timber
located at the head of Five Point and Owsley Creeks in the Umatilla
NF due north of Hilgard, Oregon. This report documents the results
of a timber survey project that was initiated in order to respond
to Mt. Emily’s application. It includes the following sections:
a project map (in color, showing the boundaries of the examined
area and delineation of 5 compartments within the Starkey Block);
introduction; field work and computations; silvicultural description;
logging data; statistical summary; and conclusion. The report
includes 21 tables summarizing the survey results by species,
size class, compartment, etc. Appended to this descriptive report
is a separate 4-page Cost Report, which has its own title page.
The cost report includes the following sections: acreage and mileage;
field expenses; field work; headquarters office work; and totals.
The survey project area is now located within the Umatilla NF
and the Wallowa-Whitman NF. The northeastern portion (shown as
compartment 1 on the map) extended from west of Mt. Emily on the
east (La Grande RD, Wallowa-Whitman NF) to Owsley Creek and upper
Pelican Creek on the west (Walla Walla Ranger District, Umatilla
NF). Most of the remainder of the survey area (the southwestern
portion consisting of compartments 2-5) includes lands now administered
by the La Grande RD, with the exception of a small tract located
in the North Fork John Day RD that includes Bowman Spring.
MALHEUR3
Matz, Fred A. 1928. Descriptive report, Malheur
River timber survey project, Malheur National Forest. Unpublished
typescript report obtained from the National Archives, College Park,
MD; record group 95. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Forest Service, North Pacific District. 108 p.
Abstract: The area included in this survey
was traversed by The Dalles Military Road, a grant for which was
given on February 25, 1867. The route of that road was defined
as The Dalles via Canyon City to Fort Boise, with a total length
of 357 miles (35 of which are located within the survey area).
The grant provided the recipient with the odd-numbered sections
in a strip 3 miles wide on each side of the road, and further
provided indemnity limits of 10 miles on each side of the road,
once again for the odd sections. Since there was only 35 miles
of the road in the survey area, but almost 86,000 acres of land
patented under the grant, it was quite evident that a considerable
acreage was acquired within the indemnity limits. Throughout the
survey area, the lands patented as a result of the Road Grant
were owned by the Eastern Oregon Land Company. They owned practically
every other section of land and many of the original school grant
sections. They desired for many years to dispose of the timber
on their property, and issued grazing permits for their land,
mostly to sheepmen. Since the grazing policy of the land company
had a great bearing on the range program of the national forest,
it was decided to complete a timber survey first, to be followed
later with a forage or grazing survey. The land company entered
into an agreement with the Forest Service whereby a timber cover-type
survey would be completed for all lands within the survey area,
with the survey of the company’s land being reimbursed to
the Service at a rate of 5 cents per acre. Forage survey maps
would be provided to the company at an additional cost of 1 cent
per acre. Most of the field work was completed during the 1927
field season, although a relatively small percentage of the total
area was completed during 1928. This survey project included an
area of 192,298 acres, of which 113,239 were national forest lands,
78,659 acres owned by Eastern Oregon Land Company, and 400 acres
of other patented (private) land. Most of the survey area was
located in the Malheur River and John Day River drainages; Prairie
City, Oregon is located about 13 miles north of the survey area
boundary. The Drewsey Road was the main north-south route through
the survey area, with east-west roads leading from Crane Prairie
to the North Fork of the Malheur River and from Summit Prairie
west to Logan Valley. The report includes the following sections:
two project maps (in color, showing the boundaries of the examined
area, the portion of the project completed in 1927 and 1928, lands
owned by the Eastern Oregon Land Company, other patented lands,
Oregon state school lands pending patent, the boundary of an area
designated to be covered for the Office of Grazing if time would
permit, G.L.O. survey lines that were re-traced for control, and
block and compartment boundaries); introduction; field work and
computations; silvicultural description; logging data; statistical
summary; and conclusion. It also includes very many tables summarizing
the survey results by species, size class, compartment, etc. Tables
pertaining to national forest lands are separate from those for
the Eastern Oregon Land Company. The report mentions that timber
estimates and forest type information was recorded on blue-line
maps at a scale of 4-inches-to-the-mile. Unfortunately, those
maps were not included with this report or located elsewhere in
the National Archives. Included with the descriptive report is
a series of memoranda related to this timber survey project. Appended
to this descriptive report is a separate 4-page Cost Report, dated
December 15, 1928, which has its own title page. The cost report
includes the following sections: acreage and mileage; field expenses;
field work; headquarters office work; totals; and conclusion.
WALLOWA12
Matz, Fred A. 1929. Descriptive report, Chesnimnus
timber survey project, Wallowa National Forest. Unpublished typescript
report obtained from the National Archives, College Park, MD; record
group 95. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service,
North Pacific District. 60 p.
Abstract: The Chesnimnus timber survey project
was initiated after the East Oregon Lumber Company (whose office
and mill were located at Enterprise, Oregon) made informal application
for the purchase of Government timber that was tributary to their
logging railroad line near Joseph Creek. However, that company suffered
financial reversals shortly after their application, although the
Bowman-Hicks Lumber Company (La Grande, Oregon) was also interested
in a timber sale in the project area. This survey project included
an area of 81,717 acres of government-owned land approximately 24
miles northeast of Enterprise, Oregon. All but 25,000 or 30,000
acres of that total was surveyed in this project. The report includes
the following sections: a project map (in color, showing the boundaries
of the examined area, the portion of the project completed in 1928,
alienated lands, section lines that were re-traced for control,
and delineation of 3 blocks and numerous compartments within the
area); introduction; field work and computations; silvicultural
description; logging data; statistical summary; and conclusion.
It also includes 14 long tables summarizing the survey results by
species, size class, compartment, etc. The report mentions that
timber estimates and forest type information was recorded on blue-line
maps at a scale of 4-inches-to-the-mile. Unfortunately, those maps
were not included with this report or located elsewhere in the National
Archives. Appended to the descriptive report is a separate 4-page
Cost Report, dated March 20, 1930, including a separate title page.
The cost report includes the following sections: acreage and mileage;
expenses; field work; headquarters office work; and summarized cost
of project.
MALHEUR4
Matz, Fred A. 1931. Descriptive report, Middle
Fork John Day River timber survey project, Malheur National Forest.
Unpublished typescript report obtained from the National Archives,
College Park, MD; record group 95. Portland, OR: U.S. Department
of Agriculture, Forest Service, North Pacific District. 60 p.
Abstract: The area included in this survey
totalled 32,154 acres, of which 29,674 was public lands administered
by the Forest Service. The survey stretched from Bum Canyon on
the north to the Magone Lake area on the south, and included lands
contained within four blocks: Camp Creek, Slide Creek, Beech Creek,
and Long Creek. Long Creek, Oregon is located about 5 miles west
of the survey area boundary; Fox is about 11 miles west of the
area. The Oregon Lumber Company owned most of the patented timber
land in the Camp Creek watershed and adjacent areas. That company
had been cutting private and government timber in the head watershed
of the Middle Fork of the John Day River for many years and it
was understood that they were about cut out. They had stated a
desire to extend their logging railroad on down the river to tap
their holdings on Camp Creek in the Malheur NF. That company’s
holdings constituted about 50% of the entire acreage in the Camp
Creek block. If the company’s operations did shift to the
Camp Creek area, it was expected that the government’s intermingled
timberland could be logged to best advantage at the same time
as the company’s land. Most of the government timber on
the Whitman NF portion of the Middle Fork John Day River drainage
was cruised in 1912 (see a report in the history archives entitled
“Head watershed: Middle Fork John Day River; Whitman National
Forest, Oregon” by Andrews and Merritt in 1910 for additional
information on this area. The 1912 cruise was related to a reconnaissance
survey completed by Hastings; a copy of that report has not been
located). The Middle Fork John Day River project area, which was
comprised of several different survey areas, included the portion
of the river drainage that was not cruised in 1912. This survey
area adjoins another one to the north that was also cruised in
1930; it is described in a report authored by Matz in 1934. The
field work for this project was completed in late summer and fall
of 1930. The report includes the following sections: project map
(in color, showing the boundaries of the examined area, patented
land in an adjacent to the project, survey control lines that
were established, G.L.O. lines that were retraced and control
lines established thereon, and block boundaries); introduction;
field work and computations; silvicultural description; logging
data; statistical summary; and conclusion. It also includes many
detailed tables summarizing the survey results by species, size
class, compartment, etc. In the silvicultural description section,
it mentions that only small acreages of pure ponderosa pine occurred
in the area, and that Douglas-fir and white fir were widely distributed
with some western larch also present. The yellow pine type comprised
59% of the total survey area, ranging from a high of 66% in the
Camp Creek block to a low of 28% in the Long Creek block. It was
noted that dwarf mistletoe was present in the ponderosa pine and
Douglas-fir, especially stands established on poorer sites, but
that there was little mortality associated with bark beetles.
Non-forest types in the survey area included hardwoods, juniper,
mountain-mahogany, brush, grass, and barren areas. The report
mentions that timber estimates and forest type information was
recorded on blue-line maps at a scale of 4-inches-to-the-mile.
Unfortunately, those maps were not included with this report or
located elsewhere in the National Archives (although they may
very well exist in the Archives in a record group that we did
not have time to check). Included with the descriptive report
is a separate 4-page Cost Report, dated November 14, 1931, which
includes the following sections: acreage and mileage; field expenses;
field work; headquarters office work; and summarized cost of project.
UMATILLA19
Matz, Fred A. 1932. Descriptive report, Camas Creek
timber survey project, Umatilla National Forest. Unpublished typescript
report obtained from the National Archives, College Park, MD; record
group 95. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service,
North Pacific District. 71 p.
Abstract: In anticipation of an application
by the Mt. Emily Lumber Company (whose office and mill were located
at La Grande, Oregon) for the purchase of Government timber located
in the Camas Creek area of the Umatilla NF, a timber survey project
was authorized and field work conducted during the fall of 1930
and the summer of 1931. This report documents the results of that
survey project. It includes the following sections: project maps
(2 maps in color, showing the boundaries of the examined area,
the portion of the project that was completed in 1930, Government
Land Office land lines that were retraced using a compass and
chain (vertical control established with an altimeter), the boundaries
of blocks, the boundaries of compartments, and patented or private
lands); introduction; field work and computations; silvicultural
description; logging data; statistical summary; and conclusion.
The report includes 13 long tables summarizing the survey results
by species, size class, compartment, etc. The report mentions
that timber estimates and forest type information was recorded
on blue-line maps at a scale of 4-inches-to-the-mile. Unfortunately,
those maps were not included with this report or located elsewhere
in the National Archives. Survey work was completed by a large
crew of estimators, most of whom were forestry students or recent
forestry graduates (from Iowa State College, Oregon Agricultural
College, New York State College, University of Minnesota, University
of Washington, Washington State College, Royal School of Forestry
in Sweden, etc.). This project area included lands now administered
by the Umatilla NF and the Wallowa-Whitman NF. The eastern portion
included parts of the Starkey Experimental Forest and an area
north of Frog Heaven Meadow (La Grande RD, Wallowa-Whitman NF).
The majority of the survey area (the western two-thirds) encompassed
lands now administered by the North Fork John Day RD, including
a small tract southeast of Ukiah, Oregon near Hello Boy Spring.
It is interesting to note that prior to the 1931 field season,
the Forest Service entered into an agreement with the Mt. Emily
Lumber Company to map patented lands within the project area,
for which the Service was paid 4 cents per acre. [Note that the
results of this timber survey were used to prepare a large timber
sale that was eventually offered to the Mt. Emily Lumber Company
of La Grande, Oregon in 1937; see Stevenson’s (1937) “Sale
prospectus and timber appraisal report; Camas Creek Unit”
in the history archives for more information.]
UMATILLA18
Matz, Fred A. 1933. Descriptive report, Bear [Rock]
Creek timber survey project, Umatilla National Forest. Unpublished
typescript report obtained from the National Archives, College Park,
MD; record group 95. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Forest Service, North Pacific District. 20 p.
Abstract: Note that this report references Bear
Creek on the cover and the title page but, according to the map
and the narrative in the introduction, it actually pertains to the
Rock Creek area. In anticipation of an application by the Kinzua
Lumber Company (whose mill was located at Thirty Mile Creek about
five miles west of the Forest boundary and about 20 miles southeast
of Condon, Oregon) for the purchase of Government timber located
in the Rock Creek watershed of the Umatilla NF, a timber survey
project was authorized and field work conducted during the summer
and fall of 1933. The project area was situated at the western end
of the Heppner Ranger District and within the Condon Working Circle.
The town of Heppner was located about forty miles northeast of the
tract. Condon was about 20 miles northwest of the western boundary
of the project area. The project area included 17,347 acres within
portions of the Heppner and Spray blocks (a block was a subdivision
of a working circle). This report documents the results of the survey.
It includes the following sections: project map (in color, showing
the boundaries of the examined area, the portion of the project
area that was recommended to be surveyed, the portion that was actually
covered, the boundaries of blocks, the boundaries of compartments,
and alienated or private lands); introduction; field work and computations;
silvicultural description; logging data; statistical summary; and
conclusion. The report includes three long tables summarizing the
survey results by species, size class, compartment, etc. The project
area consisted of the ponderosa pine cover type (61% of the area),
the white fir/larch/Douglas-fir type, and grass and sagebrush types.
The report mentions that timber estimates and topographic information
was recorded on 4-inch-to-the-mile blue-line maps for each township
in the project area. Unfortunately, those maps were not included
with this report or located elsewhere in the National Archives.
Survey work was completed by a large crew of estimators (14 in total),
most of whom were forestry students or recent forestry graduates.
However, not all of those employees were able to stick with the
job, as three of them served only a few days and quit because they
“couldn’t stand the strain.” The author stated
that the three men probably quit due to lack of interest in the
work or no desire for it, rather than any physical incapacity to
complete the job. When working in the west end of the project area,
a “side camp” was established at “the Notch”
and was eventually moved seven miles east of there to Long Prairie.
Appended to the descriptive report is a separate 3-page Cost Report,
dated November 14, 1934. The cost report includes the following
sections: acreage and mileage; expenses; field work; headquarters,
office work; and summarized cost of project.
MALHEUR5
Matz, Fred A. 1934. Descriptive report, Middle
Fork John Day River timber survey project, Malheur National Forest.
Unpublished typescript report obtained from the National Archives,
College Park, MD; record group 95. Portland, OR: U.S. Department
of Agriculture, Forest Service, North Pacific District. 19 p.
Abstract: The area included in this survey
totalled 26,243 acres, of which 21,745 was public lands administered
by the Forest Service. The survey area stretched from Putney Mountain
and Little Indian Creek on the north to Mosquito Creek and an
area south of Big Creek on the south. At least half of the survey
area is now within the Umatilla National Forest (North Fork John
Day Ranger District) with the remainder administered by the Malheur
National Forest (Long Creek Ranger District). Long Creek, Oregon
is located about 13 miles west (slightly southwest) of the survey
area boundary. The Oregon Lumber Company owned most of the patented
timber land in the Indian Creek watershed and adjacent areas.
That company had been cutting private and government timber in
the head watershed of the Middle Fork of the John Day River for
many years and it was understood that they were about cut out.
They had stated a desire to extend their logging railroad on down
the river to tap their holdings on Camp Creek in the Malheur NF.
That company’s holdings constituted about 50% of the entire
acreage in the Camp Creek block. If the company did shift their
operations to the Camp Creek area, it was believed that the government’s
intermingled timberland could be logged to best advantage at the
same time as the company’s land. Most of the government
timber on the Whitman NF portion of the Middle Fork John Day River
drainage was cruised in 1912 (see a report in the history archives
entitled “Head watershed: Middle Fork John Day River; Whitman
National Forest, Oregon” by Andrews and Merritt in 1910
for additional information on this area. The 1912 cruise was related
to a reconnaissance survey completed by Hastings; a copy of that
report has not been located). This survey area included the portion
of the river drainage that was not cruised in 1912. The Middle
Fork John Day River project area, which was comprised of several
different survey areas, included another area to the south that
was also cruised in 1930; it is described in a report authored
by Matz in 1931. The field work for this project was completed
in late summer and fall of 1930. The report includes the following
sections: maps (a project map in color, showing the boundaries
of the examined area, the adjacent area covered in 1912, alienated
lands, survey control lines that were established, and block boundaries);
introduction; field work and computations; silvicultural description;
logging data; statistical summary; and conclusion. It also includes
many detailed tables summarizing the survey results by species,
size class, compartment, etc. In the silvicultural description
section, it mentions that only small acreages of pure ponderosa
pine occurred in the area, and that Douglas-fir and white fir
were widely distributed with some western larch also present.
It was noted that dwarf mistletoe was present in the ponderosa
pine and Douglas-fir, especially stands established on poorer
sites, but that there was little mortality associated with bark
beetles. The report mentions that timber estimates and forest
type information was recorded on blue-line maps at a scale of
4-inches-to-the-mile. Unfortunately, those maps were not included
with this report or located elsewhere in the National Archives
(although they may very well exist in the Archives in a record
group that we did not have time to check). Included with the descriptive
report is a separate 4-page Cost Report, dated December 27, 1934,
which includes the following sections: acreage and mileage; field
expenses; field work; headquarters office work; and summarized
cost of project.
WHITMAN16
Merritt, Melvin L. 1911. Lodgepole pine in the
Whitman National Forest. Unpublished typescript report obtained
from the National Archives, College Park, MD; record group 95. Sumpter,
OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Whitman National
Forest. 18 p.
Abstract: This report was based on observations
that the author made of the lodgepole pine type on the Whitman
National Forest during the 1910 field season. Since they were
based on only a single field season, the author was not certain
that his conclusions would still be correct after a more extensive
examination. The report includes the following sections: factors
influencing the growth of lodgepole pine and related tree species
(temperature, altitude, soil, light, moisture, reproduction habits,
pure stands of lodgepole, areas not adapted to lodgepole, regions
adapted to the growth of both lodgepole and other species); management
(pure lodgepole stands, yellow pine stands, mixed conifer stands);
and general conclusion. The report provides some silvical information,
such as this ranking of tree species in terms of their ability
to grow successfully in poor soils: yellow pine (most able), lodgepole
pine, Douglas-fir, white fir, western larch, and Engelmann spruce
(least able). The tolerance of tree species to low light (shade)
was given as: Engelmann spruce (most tolerant of shade), white
fir, Douglas-fir, lodgepole pine, western larch, and yellow pine
(least tolerant). The author believed that the Whitman NF presented
three situations with respect to lodgepole pine: sites better
adapted to the growth of lodgepole pine than anything else; sites
not adapted to the growth of lodgepole pine at all (yellow pine
sites); and sites adapted to the growth of lodgepole pine and
other species concurrently (mixed conifer sites). Merritt noted
that the cones of lodgepole pine tended to open immediately upon
maturing, indicating that the species was not serotinous on that
Forest. It was noted that the most common situation supporting
pure stands of lodgepole pine was damp, poorly-drained floodplains
and benches along streams, although pure stands also occurred
on flat ridges and gentle slopes at higher elevations (over 5,000
feet). About one-third to one-half of the Forest contained sites
that were suitable for a mixed-conifer forest composition, in
which lodgepole pine competed with larch, Douglas-fir, and white
fir for growing space. Merritt noted that seedlings of the other
species often got established concurrently with lodgepole following
disturbance, but that lodgepole quickly outgrew them (except for
the larch) and dominated the stand for a while. Eventually, though,
the lodgepole would be overtaken by the more tolerant species
after it reached its normal height growth. It seemed that the
location and distribution of lodgepole pine on the Forest depended
mostly on past fire history. The author’s conclusions include:
the popular idea that yellow pine was the only valuable timber
type in eastern Oregon was untenable; and the north slope type
(mixed conifer type) was capable of producing a timber yield that
would equal or surpass that produced by the yellow pine type,
but only under proper management.
DESCHUTES3
Merritt, M. L. 1916. Yellow pine fire damage. Unpublished
typescript report obtained from the National Archives, College Park,
MD; record group 95. Bend, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest
Service, Deschutes National Forest. 25 p.
Abstract: There was much conjecture among forest
managers about the actual amount of damage done to yellow (ponderosa)
pine by fires, even in cases where the fires were severe enough
to kill much of the foliage. Many foresters believed that a majority
of the yellow pines damaged in that way would normally recover.
Since a 10,000-acre fire occurred on the Deschutes NF (it was
locally referred to as the South Ice Cave Burn) in late summer
(August 29 to September 14) of 1915, it was decided to conduct
a study to obtain definite information about the mortality of
yellow pine following a fire in which extensive crown scorch occurred.
The primary objective of the study was to determine the extent
of damage done to yellow pine timber by severe surface and crown
fires, especially where all of the foliage was killed, and to
determine an approximate mortality percentage for mature trees
that have had all their foliage killed by fire. This document
was a progress report for that study. It includes the following
sections: purpose; use of results; place; assignment; methods;
future work; report; and history of burn. Since it is a progress
report, there are no conclusions and little discussion about the
results of the study. Most of the document (17 pages) consists
of a series of tables that describes every sample tree (100 such
trees were selected on each of the three plots) on each sample
plot. The plot tree summary tables included the tree number, the
tree’s diameter, the portion of the tree’s foliage
that was browned, the portion of the tree’s bole that was
blackened, and general notes about the tree. The “history
of burn” section mentions an accompanying map, but none
was present in the folder at the National Archives that contained
this report.
WENAHA_DRAINAGE.PDF
Merzenich, James; Ferro, Michael; Nichols, David; Roberts,
Keith; Taylor, Avery; Reed, Jaylen; Hulbert, Karl; Ferril, John.
[1974]. Plants and vertebrates of the Wenaha drainage. Unpublished
Report. [La Grande, OR]: Eastern Oregon State College. 72 p.
Abstract: The Wenaha River drainage,
a 200,000 acre roadless area characterlzed by deep canyons
and timbered
benches, lies
in the Blue Mountains along the border of 0regon and Washington.
It includes a 112,000 acre "Wenaha Backcountry" set
aside by the U.S. Forest Service for elk and deer hunting.
Interest as to the future of the area has arisen among conservation
groups,
lumber interests, and the Forest Service. In 1971, the Umatilla
National Forest Office, which has jurisdiction, concluded that
the area was already adequately protected. The Wenaha-Tucannon
Wilderness Council, a citizens' group, feels that the drainage
and portions of adjacent drainages ought to be classified as
wilderness. Senator Mark Hatfield of Oregon recently included
the area in a wilderness omnibus bill. Because long-lasting
management decisions will soon be made and no basic ecological
data was
available, five Eastern Oregon State College students proposed
a preliminary survey of the plants and vertebrates. Objectives
of the study were:
l. To investigate and classify the vegetation on
an ecosystem basis.
2. To determine vertebrate species present and their distribution
within vegetation habitat types.
3. To obtain baseline data so that changes in the biota can
be correlated with environmental management practices.
A 6,000 acre study area was chosen which was
believed to contain all the vegetation habitat types typical
of the
area as a whole.
Three students were recruited from other schools
in Oregon and Washington once the grant was received. The interdisciplinary
team that went into the field on 12 June 1974 included four
botanists,
two mammalologists, an ornithologist, and a herpetologist.
MALHEUR1
Miles, Herbert J. 1911. Annual silvical report:
Malheur National Forest. Unpublished typescript report obtained
from the National Archives, College Park, MD; record group 95. [Place
of publication unknown]: [U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest
Service]. 38 p.
Abstract: This report includes the following
sections: list of trees; list of shrubs; fundamental forest types
(bottomland, slope, alpine, and transition types); general silvical
descriptions by forest type; silvics of species; and silvical
problems (subjects for special silvical studies which would be
of value to this Forest). A variety of silvical characteristics
are described for each species (habit, occurrence, soil and moisture,
shade tolerance, growth and longevity, reproduction, susceptibility
to injury, etc.). Many silvical characteristics are summarized
for the 6 major tree species of the Malheur in a hand-written
table.
WALLOWA13
Moravets, F. L. 1923. Descriptive and cost report;
McAllister Creek, Powwatka Ridge, and Wildcat Creek timber survey
projects, Wallowa National Forest. Unpublished typescript report
obtained from the National Archives, College Park, MD; record group
95. [Place of publication unknown]: U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Forest Service, North Pacific District. 15 p.
Abstract: The McAllister Creek survey area
included 3,311 acres, which excludes private lands in the area.
This survey area included all accessible Government timber on
McAllister Ridge and was separated from the Mud Creek-Davis Creek
timber sale on the east by the deep canyon of Mud Creek, and from
the Powwatka Ridge survey unit on the west by the canyon of McAllister
Creek. Of the total timber stand in the area, 40% was yellow pine,
35% was Douglas-fir, 14% western larch, and 10% white fir, with
the remainder being small amounts of lodgepole pine and Engelmann
spruce. The yellow pine occurred in widely scattered stands along
the ridges and on dryer eastern and southern exposures. Stands
comprised of larch and Douglas-fir covered the majority of the
survey area, generally upon northern exposures and in the draws.
They had relatively equal amounts of western larch and Douglas-fir,
with small amounts of white fir in the draws. The timber was not
deteriorating rapidly and could safely be held until a more favorable
lumber market existed. The McAllister Creek report includes the
following sections: introduction; a project map (in color, showing
the boundaries of the examined area and patented (private) lands);
status and ownership; silvical description; logging data; description
of cruise; and tables. The report includes a decimal “C”
volume table for Douglas-fir, white fir, lodgepole pine, and Engelmann
spruce (all four species in one table), and four tables summarizing
the survey results by township and range. The Powwatka Ridge and
Wildcat Creek report includes the following sections: location
and acreage; description of cruise; silvical description, logging
data, and management; and volume tables. It also includes three
tables summarizing survey results by township and range. There
is also a table comparing timber volume estimates from the Powwatka
Ridge timber survey of 1920 (see Conover 1920 in the history archives
for a description of that earlier survey) with the survey completed
in 1923 and described in this report. Following the descriptive
reports is a 3-page Cost Report that includes the following sections:
field work; office work; and total costs.
HEPPNER3
Munger, T. T. 1909. Notes on brush disposal in
eastern Oregon. Unpublished typescript report obtained from the
National Archives, College Park, MD; record group 95. [Place of
publication unknown]: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service.
7 p.
Abstract: It is noted on this report that it
was prepared for the Society of American Foresters and was not
published. The report pertains to a recent trip that the author
made across central Oregon in which he made notes about the methods
of brush disposal that seem to be suited to the various regions
he visited. The two methods that were considered applicable were
1) piling and burning; and 2) lopping and scattering. The general
conclusion he reached is that conditions are so variable in the
yellow pine region of eastern Oregon that neither of those methods
could be recommended to the exclusion of the other. Munger believed
that the decision as to which method to use should be made by
the Forest officer on the ground, although the officer’s
recommendation should be based on these general principles: 1)
in dry regions, yellow pine reproduction is usually better where
brush or some other ground covering is available to conserve soil
moisture; 2) in regions where livestock grazing was abundant,
brush could be helpful for protecting them from trampling and
browsing damage; 3) the presence of dry brush increases the risk
and severity of forest fires; and 4) the presence of logging debris
may help to increase the number of bark beetle attacks by serving
as brood sites. The author also felt that burning the brush (broadcast)
could be detrimental in mixed stands, especially on the yellow
pine/lodgepole pine mixtures prevalent in central and south-central
Oregon because it would favor lodgepole over yellow pine. One
of the places that Munger visited was the Heppner division of
the Umatilla National Forest. He noted that where soils were deep
and forest conditions were well established, that natural reproduction
of western larch and yellow pine were very good – dense
thickets of seedlings or small saplings were common. That situation
was particularly common on the north side of the divide (the main
east-west ridge system of the Heppner Ranger District). To leave
brush unburnt on that portion of the Heppner division would not
only be unnecessary from a regeneration standpoint, but would
constitute a serious fire hazard that could jeopardize long-term
survival of the advance reproduction. Munger also provides notes
about the area along the base of the Cascades from Bend to the
Klamath Indian Agency, and for the Fremont National Forest area.
SILVICS1
Munger, T. T. 1909. Annual report of the section
of silvics, District VI. Unpublished typescript report obtained
from the National Archives, College Park, MD; record group 95. [Place
of publication unknown]: [U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest
Service]. 3 p.
Abstract: This report describes studies initiated
or continued by the Section of Silvics after the establishment
of a District Office in Portland. The following studies or projects
were mentioned: “the encroachment of lodgepole pine on western
yellow pine on the east slopes of the Cascade Mountains in Oregon”
(recommends forms of management to be used for the yellow pine
and lodgepole pine types, and identifies that extensive artificial
reforestation is needed in many poorly forested areas in those
types); an extensive study of Douglas-fir on the west side of
the Cascades in Oregon and Washington; an effort to bring all
of the records pertaining to cut-over areas up to date for every
national forest (in 1909, it was already seen that these records
were being neglected, and that training and an emphasis on them
were going to be needed to have them kept up sufficiently); the
Forests were cooperating in the establishment of meteorological
stations; and a study of Cascara (Rhamnus purshiana) conducted
by Professor Jepson.
MUNGER1
Munger, Thornton T. 1910. Silvical problems of
the northwest. Unpublished Paper. Portland, OR: U.S. Department
of Agriculture, Forest Service, North Pacific District. 25 p.
Abstract: This paper was delivered at the District
6 Supervisor’s Meeting in Portland, Oregon on March 23,
1910. It describes early silviculture programs on the national
forests of the Pacific Northwest. The author provides some opinions
and interpretations about early logging operations in the region,
as well as observations about pressing silvicultural problems
in the area, such as encroachment in yellow pine stands by white
fir and lodgepole pine. The paper also discusses the following
topics: annual silvical reports, cut-over areas, and insect infestations.
SILVICS2
Munger, T. T. 1911. Annual report to the forester,
section of silvics – District VI. Unpublished typescript report
obtained from the National Archives, College Park, MD; record group
95. [Place of publication unknown]: [U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Forest Service]. 20 p.
Abstract: This report describes the following
silvicultural studies or projects that were initiated or ongoing
during 1910-1911: Douglas fir study (included areas west of the
Cascades); yellow pine study (covered entire range in Oregon;
study initiated during field season of 1910 and eventually published
in 1917 as “Western Yellow Pine in Oregon” (see USDA
Bull. 418); sand dune study (dunes on the Siuslaw NF); avalanche
study (covered Cascades in Washington); permanent sample plot
installation (3 plots established in pure Douglas-fir stand, 54-years
old, on the Umpqua NF); Douglas-fir cut-over study (established
in the Wind River Valley area); brush disposal experiments (mostly
involving the yellow pine type); surface fire experiments (examines
fire effects of surface fires on 6 Forests in both western and
eastern Oregon); insect infestation investigations (reconnaissance
surveys of the entire Blue Mountains area and Deschutes NF, and
description of beetle control work initiated in fall of 1910);
western red cedar study; experimental sowing and planting (studies
begun on the Wallowa and Wenatchee NFs); herbarium, library, computing
clerk, and lectures at forestry schools; tax study; clover fire
line experiment; annual silvical reports (prepared and submitted
by each national forest in the District); special reports; and
standardization of tree measurements.
SILVICS3
Munger, T. T. 1912. Annual silvical report; District
VI. Unpublished typescript report obtained from the National Archives,
College Park, MD; record group 95. [Place of publication unknown]:
[U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service]. 19 p.
Abstract: This report describes the following
studies or projects that were initiated or continued during 1911-1912:
yellow pine study (continuation); Douglas fir study (continuation);
red cedar study (continuation); sand dune control (continuation);
fire damage study (continuation); insect control operations (continuation
of bark beetle control on 84,000 acres on the east side of the
Whitman NF); avalanche study (continuation); silvical examination
of timber on the Malheur NF (a survey of the general health and
condition of mature yellow pine forest on a large portion of the
Malheur NF); brush disposal experiment (continuation); effect
of sheep grazing on yellow pine reproduction; study of cut-over
areas (continuation); permanent sample plots (continuation, with
additional plots established on the Siuslaw and Crater NFs); tax
study in Washington (continuation); herbarium, library, computing,
annual silvical reports (continuation); experimental sowings and
plantings (continuation); and a description of upcoming work,
including a streamflow study planned for the Whitman NF near the
Blue Mountain Ranger Station at the headwaters of the John Day
River.
OREGON2
Munger, T. T. 1912. The future yield of yellow
pine stands in Oregon. Unpublished typescript report obtained from
the National Archives, College Park, MD; record group 95. [Place
of publication unknown]: [U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest
Service]. 33 p.
Abstract: A silvical study of western yellow
pine (ponderosa pine) was made in the summers of 1910 and 1911
in eastern Oregon. The principal objectives of the study were
to determine 1) the future yield of yellow pine stands that were
harvested using the selection system; 2) the factors which have
the most influence on yellow pine volume yield; and 3) the comparative
yield associated with various cutting cycle lengths. The study
was extensive and collected a large amount of data, consisting
of stump analysis for 5,700 trees and the measurement of many
sample plots aggregating 1,019 acres in typical yellow pine stands
of central and eastern Oregon. This report focuses on the future
yields of yellow pine stands as based on an analysis of the collected
data. It includes the following sections: method of preparing
the tables; analysis of tables; description of each tract; and
conclusions. Most of the report consists of tables that were prepared
for each of the primary sample areas. Sample areas (“tracts”)
located in the Blue Mountains included Crawford Creek near Austin
(Malheur NF), Austin & Whitney (Malheur NF, Wallowa-Whitman
NF?), Lookingglass Creek (Umatilla NF), and Winlock’s Mill
(near Umatilla NF, Heppner RD). The yellow pine study described
in this report formed the basis for several other publications,
such as George Bright’s growth study (see Bright 1912) and
Munger’s definitive, landmark bulletin called “Western
Yellow Pine in Oregon” (1917). Both of those publications
are also contained in the history archives.
DESCHUTES2
Munger, Thornton T. 1913. Memorandum concerning
the suitability of holding as national forest the lodgepole-covered
pumice lands of Crook and Klamath Counties, Oregon. Unpublished
typescript report obtained from the National Archives, College Park,
MD; record group 95. [Place of publication unknown]: [U.S. Department
of Agriculture, Forest Service]. 13 p.
Abstract: This memorandum summarizes the results
of an examination of lodgepole pine forests established on pumice
lands in southern Crook and northern Klamath counties, of which
there was uncertainty about their suitability for inclusion in
the Paulina National Forest. This report includes the following
sections: introduction; forestal value of the lodgepole flats;
and recommendations. Munger recommended that the lands in question
be retained in the national forest, even though their removal
would undoubtedly quiet the local clamor for their elimination.
This document also includes a 2-page memorandum from Assistant
District (Regional) Forester Ames that supports Munger’s
recommendation to retain the lands as national forest. [Note that
some of the information and recommendations in this report seem
to be derived from Munger’s 1908 report entitled “Report
on a study of the encroachment of lodgepole pine on western yellow
pine on the east slopes of the Cascade Mountains in Oregon,”
a copy of which is contained in the history archives. The same
area and the same issue described in this accession is also discussed
in an article called “Replacement of yellow pine by lodgepole
pine on the pumice soils of central Oregon” (Munger, 1914).]
MUNGER1914
Munger, T.T. 1914. Damage by light surface fires
in western yellow-pine forests; Wallowa and Whitman National Forests.
Proceedings of the Society of American Foresters. 9: 235-238.
Abstract : This article describes
preliminary results from a field study in eastern Oregon of typical
yellow-pine stands in which surface fires had occurred, probably
for centuries, at irregular but rather frequent intervals. The
objectives of the study were to find out how many trees are killed
and fire scarred by an average light surface fire in eastern Oregon,
and to find out how many yellow-pine butt logs are actually damaged
by these light fires. Table 1 provides a percentage tally of those
trees that were burned to death, felled by fire, scarred by fire,
and apparently OK by size class and tree species. Table 2 summarizes
fire-caused damage to butt logs as a result of repeated fires.
MUNGER1917
Munger, Thornton T. 1917. Western yellow pine in
Oregon. Bulletin No. 418. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Agriculture.
48 p.
Abstract: This is the definitive early work
on ponderosa pine in Oregon, including a map showing the distribution
of Oregon's pine forests around 1915. Included is the following
information about ponderosa pine forests in Oregon: distribution,
silvical requirements, reproduction, fire effects, insect and
pathogen influences, stand characteristics, timber volumes, tree
growth, wood characteristics, utilization, logging and milling,
planting, stock grazing, and forest management practices. Appendices
provide 2 regional volume tables, including one for the Blue Mountains,
as well as marking guides and slash disposal specifications. Several
excellent black-and-white photographs are also included. Note
that several of the office reports that formed the basis for this
bulletin are also included in the history archives, such as “A
study of the growth of yellow pine in Oregon” by G. A. Bright
(1912). This excellent work includes interesting insights about
early forest conditions in eastern Oregon and the Blue Mountains,
as illustrated here: “In most of the pure yellow-pine forests
of the State the trees are spaced rather widely, the ground is
fairly free from underbrush and debris, and travel through them
on foot or horseback is interrupted only by occasional patches
of saplings and fallen trees. The forests are usually not solid
and continuous for great distances, except along the eastern base
of the Cascades, but are broken by treeless “scab-rock ridges,”
or natural meadows;” “In the Blue Mountains the herbage
is rather more luxuriant and varied than on the eastern slopes
of the Cascades and their outstanding ranges. In the early summer
the open yellow-pine forests are as green with fresh herbage as
a lawn, except here and there where the green is tinged with patches
of yellow or purple flowers. Some of this luxuriant herbage is
pine grass (Calamagrostis sp.), a plant which is not eaten by
stock except very early in the season; but much of the ground
cover makes excellent range for cattle and sheep;” “In
the Blue Mountains western larch (Larix occidentalis) is its [western
yellow pine] usual companion and grows with it in an intimate
and harmonious mixture. In the moister situations white fir (Abies
concolor) is a common associate, as is also Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga
taxifolia) in most parts of the State. In the Blue Mountains it
is common for the south slopes to be covered with a fine stand
of yellow pine, while the north slopes are covered almost entirely
with larch, white fir, and Douglas fir;” “In the Blue
Mountains the reproduction of yellow pine is very abundant, both
in the virgin forest and after cuttings. Perhaps it is more prolific
here than anywhere else. In this region where an area has not
been burned over by a surface fire for a number of years, there
is quite commonly a veritable thicket of little trees from a few
inches to several feet high. Actual counts have shown that there
are sometimes 14,000 seedlings on a single acre, the ages ranging
from 13 to 21 years;” “In pure, fully stocked stands
in the Blue Mountains region there are commonly from 20 to 30
yellow pines per acre over 12 inches in diameter, of which but
few are over 30 inches. Over large areas the average number per
acre is ordinarily less than 20. In mixed stands the number of
yellow pines of merchantable size is naturally less, though the
total number of trees of all species is as a rule larger, the
moist soil on which the mixed forest grows being able to carry
a denser stand;” “Yellow pine grows commonly in many-aged
stands; i.e., trees of all ages from seedlings to 500-year-old
veterans, with every age gradation between, are found in intimate
mixture. Usually two or three or more trees of a certain age are
found in a small group by themselves, the reason being that a
group of many young trees usually starts in the gap which a large
one makes when it dies;” “Light, slowly spreading
fires that form a blaze not more than 2 or 3 feet high and that
burn chiefly the dry grass, needles, and underbrush start freely
in yellow-pine forests, because for several months each summer
the surface litter is dry enough to burn readily. Practically
every acre of virgin yellow-pine timberland in central and eastern
Oregon has been run over by fire during the lifetime of the present
forest, and much of it has been repeatedly scourged. It is sometimes
supposed that these light surface fires, which have in the past
run through the yellow-pine forests periodically, do no damage
to the timber, but that they “protect” it from possible
severe conflagrations by burning up the surface debris before
it accumulates. This is a mistake. These repeated fires, no matter
how light, do in the aggregate an enormous amount of damage to
yellow-pine forests, not alone to the young trees, but to the
present mature merchantable timber;” “A careful cruise
of every tree on 154½ sample acres in typical yellow-pine
stands in several localities in the Blue Mountains showed that
42 out of every 100 trees were fire-scarred;” “Ordinarily,
a fire in yellow-pine woods is comparatively easy to check. Its
advance under usual conditions may be stopped by patrolmen on
a fire line a foot or so wide, either with or without backfiring.
The open character of the woods makes the construction of fire
lines relatively easy, and in many places horses may be used to
plow them.”
MUNGER1931
Munger, T.T.; Westveld, R.H. 1931. Slash disposal
in the western yellow pine forests of Oregon and Washington. Technical
Bulletin No. 259. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Agriculture.
58 p.
Abstract: This bulletin describes the alternatives
for slash disposal after logging in ponderosa pine forests of
the Pacific Northwest. Considerations affecting slash disposal
are discussed, including quantity and distribution of slash, its
decay rate, slash effects on regeneration, fire hazard concerns,
and the effects of slash on soil, insects and pathogens, and range
management. The economics of slash treatment are discussed. Common
treatment methods are described, including broadcast burning,
spot burning, piling and burning, swamper burning, no burning,
strip burning, and partial burning with fire protection. An example
of a slash disposal plan is provided. Appendix material describes
different techniques of slash piling.
MUNGER ET AL 1936a
MUNGER ET AL 1936b
Munger, T.T.; Brandstrom, A.J.F.; Kolbe, E.L. 1936. Basic considerations
in the management of ponderosa pine forests by the maturity selection
system. Unnumbered Report. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Forest Experiment Station.
4 p.
Abstract: This short mimeographed report or long memorandum summarizes
the conclusions and recommendations of studies made by the
Pacific Northwest Forest Experiment Station relating to the
maturity
selection system. The maturity selection system was a silvicultural
or management system involving rather light and frequent cutting
predicated on the financial and biological maturity of the
trees. To clarify the concepts of this new system of management
for
ponderosa pine forests, this paper provides 18 basic considerations
for how the maturity selection was intended to be used. [See
Munger 1941 for another article concerning the maturity selection
system and its use in ponderosa pine forests. Note that this
report was used as the basis for the Munger et al. 1936 journal
article in West Coast Lumberman (2 pages).]
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