expanded that a general readjustment of all concessions may be necessary in order to provide adequate service for the touring public.

CRYSTAL CAVE CLOSED.

It has not even seemed advisable to take any steps this year to open the recently discovered Crystal Cave to public inspection. This beautiful cavern was opened for a period last season, but on account of vandalism access to it was barred by closing and blocking its entrance. It could only be maintained in its present condition by the installation and operation of a proper lighting system and, by the employment of guides to conduct parties through its various passages and prevent depredations on its formations.

YOSEMITE POWER PLANT FOR SEQUOIA PARK.

For possible use in lighting the Crystal Cave, but particularly for the purpose of lighting the public camps of the Giant Forest, it is proposed to move next year to Sequoia National Park the power plant in Yosemite Valley, which was superseded by the large new plant recently completed to meet the increased demand for electric power in the northern park. The installation of this plant in Sequoia Park will be one of the most effective improvements that could be made in that reservation at this stage of its development.

PUBLIC CAMP SITUATION.

The public camps in Sequoia Park present a very serious problem and need considerable attention as to control, sanitation, and water supply. There has been little done toward the control of the camp sites, with the result that campers have not only overrun the whole Giant Forest but concentrated around the village to such a degree that they have completely destroyed the shrubs and other ground cover. During the past season camps have been located in the Deer Creek Valley and in every other direction that expansion could be

made.

The most interesting and the largest of the trees are in the vicinity of the hotel camp and around the meadows, and I am of the opinion that ultimately this area should be reserved for its scenery alone, the hotel being relocated in another part of the forest. New camp sites should be located off the road and between the Wolverton Road and the trail to the Gen. Sherman Tree.

A condition has arisen in Sequoia Park which makes it necessary to bring up clearly and unequivocally our policy as regards locations of public camps. A tendency has been shown toward building semipermanent camps in or near the Giant Forest. Our policy is very distinctly that within national park areas no individual shall have any permanent location for his own use, and it has been necessary to bring this clearly to the attention of some of the people camping in the Giant Forest. Experience in Yosemite and General Grant National Parks has shown that it is perfectly feasible for many thousands of people to camp for a season in a location which becomes theirs for the time being, but on which they have no further claim the following year, those coming in first during the season having the first call on locations.

OLD ROADS AND NEW ROADS.

The road system of the park was maintained in good condition throughout the season, the main highway to and through the Giant Forest being repaired and its upkeep provided for by the National Park Service; the road up the Middle Fork of the Kaweah being cared for by the Mount Whitney Power Co., and the Mineral King Road receiving some repairs as a county charge.

Whether the park is enlarged or not, two new road approaches ought to be undertaken, one not later than next season. These projects contemplate the construction of a road from a point on the Middle Fork of Kaweah River near Hospital Rock to the Giant Forest road system, and the continuation of the road between Sequoia and General Grant National Parks, which was begun two years ago and carried as far as the Marble Fork of the Kaweah. The former project is the more important. It will take approximately two years to construct this essential highway, and an estimate to begin the work is included in the National Park Service budget that has just been prepared. The road will be 10 miles in length and it will be a marvelously scenic route. It will afford an opportunity for tourists to enter the park by the Middle Fork Valley, ascend to the Giant Forest, and leave the park by way of the present main highway. In the bond issue of $40,000,000 recently authorized by the people of California, there is included authority for the expenditure of $300,000 in paving the State road from Three Rivers to the park line. If Congress authorizes the construction of the new highway I have just described, the State will carry its paving to the Middle Fork entrance. In planning this development the members of the State highway commission and Tulare County authorities have been working in harmony with the National Park Service.

NEW TRANSPORTATION ENTERPRISE.

The privilege of conducting a transportation service to Sequoia National Park was granted this year to the Sequoia National Park Stage Co., which is owned by Messrs. Orval Overall and E. L. Askin, of Lemon Cove and Visalia, respectively. The plans of these gentlemen originally contemplated service from Visalia as well as from Lemon Cove to the Giant Forest, but the railroad commission declined to sanction the competitive service between Lemon Cove and Visalia. Therefore service is now furnished between these points by the Visalia Electric Railroad, and in consequence the park permittees made Lemon Cove their valley terminus. This transportation question should be reconsidered before the opening of next season. As facilities for caring for the traveler are so much better and the opportunity to supplement the transportation service with outside cars is greater in a city of the size of Visalia than in Lemon Cove, it seems to me that passengers should be carried direct from Visalia to the park rather than be compelled to make a change at an intermediate point. There have been a number of instances this year in which parties arriving at Lemon Cove and finding the regular automobile stages gone, were able to obtain cars only with great difficulty, and some of the eastern travelers who had come across the continent particularly to see the wonderful Giant Forest were compelled to leave without visiting it.

DEER GIVE PLEASURE TO VISITORS.

As usual, the deer have been of great interest to visitors to the park, their tameness being especially marked. This is believed to be due largely to the fact that the deer have the opportunity to wander in the foothill country within the park area without being compelled to go outside the park boundaries, thus having protection at all times of the year. One of the great problems in other parks like Yosemite and Yellowstone Parks is due to the fact that the wild game are compelled to go outside the boundaries to secure their winter feed when severe weather conditions are encountered.

The Fish and Game Commission of California has established a new fish hatchery on one of the branches of the Kaweah River not far from the park boundary. It is the purpose of the commission to keep the waters of the park well stocked with trout after this hatchery is in full operation, the National Park Service cooperating in the transportation and distribution of the fish.

GIANT FOREST PURCHASE AN OBJECT LESSON.

The destruction of trees all along the Pacific coast and particularly along the highways of the northern part of the State, which traverse forests of big redwoods of the species Sequoia sempervirens, emphasizes more than ever before the value of the purchase of the Giant Forest by the combined action of Congress and the National Geographic Society. After all, nothing that has been accomplished since the broader development of the national parks began surpasses the achievement of safeguarding forever this noble forest. It narrowly escaped the awful fate of its related forests of the north.

GENERAL GRANT NATIONAL PARK.

As the tables in Supt. Fry's report in Appendix B indicate, travel to General Grant National Park this year has been heavier than ever before. The popularity of this beautiful little park is justly deserved. Not only does it furnish a wonderful summer resort for the people of the San Joaquin Valley, but it preserves a grove of giant sequoia trees that makes it a property of the Nation that ought to be the pride of all generations of the present and future.

The complete cutting off of all the great sequoia timber immediately to the west of the General Grant Park emphasizes very strongly to the visitor the great advantage of having preserved even this small area for park purposes, and with the excellent road now leading up to it, built by the Fresno County authorities, via Dunlap, it is more accessible than ever.

A GATEWAY TO ROOSEvelt park.

It now appears that General Grant Park will be one of the main gateways, if not the principal entrance, to the Roosevelt National Park when this great reservation is established. Some years ago the State of California began the construction of a road toward the Kings River Canyon, and this highway will be continued under funds made available by the sale of bonds of the $40,000,000 issue recently approved by the people of the State. One hundred