KEPOET OF THE SECRETARY. 97 



in permanent improvements just as truly as does the successful 

 guardianship and promotion of use of the timber supply of the 

 Forests. 



The receipts from o;razinfy were last year for the first time 

 exceeded by the receipts from timber sales. In future j^ears the 

 present relative position of the receipts from these two sources is not 

 likely to be reversed ; on the contrary, from now on the receipts from 

 timber may be expected to gain steadily upon the receipts from 

 grazing. 



FOREST PRODUCTS INVESTIGATIONS. 



The work of the Forest Service for the public is not confined to 

 applying the best methods of management to the use of the water, 

 timber, and grazing resources of the National Forests. Study is also 

 given, so far as is possible with the small part of the appropriation 

 which can be devoted to work other than administrative, to all 

 problems whose investigation promises to promote economy in the 

 use of all that is produced by our Forests, private as well as public, 

 or to increase their yield of valuable material. The investigations 

 directed to this end comprise both investigations of Forest products 

 and investigations in the field of general forestry. 



An event of large importance was the completion and occupancy 

 during the year of the Forest products laboratory provided at Madi- 

 son, Wis., by the State of Wisconsin for the use of the Forest Service. 

 The securing of this laboratory was brought about by the efforts of 

 the authorities of the University of Wisconsin, in the belief that the 

 advantage to the university of having the products investigative 

 work centered in Madison would well repay the outlay. It is to the 

 advantage of the Forest Service also that its laboratory is in close 

 touch with the staff and work of such an institution as the University 

 of Wisconsin. 



The Madison laboratory equipment was furnished by the Govern- 

 ment. The new building and the new equipment together provide 

 the most effective plant for research into the problems which underlie 

 the best use of Forest products to be found anywhere in the world. 

 Many of these problems are of a highly technical character and can 

 be attacked successfully only through the possession of such facilities 

 as are now for the first time available. These problems include 

 such matters as the strength and physical properties of the various 

 kinds of woods in commercial use, or of woods which though not yet 

 put to particular uses are inherently suitable for them; methods of 

 seasoning, preserving, kiln-drying, and otherwise handling woods so 

 as to secure from them the maximum service and a minimum of 

 waste; the manufacture of wood pulp; methods of extracting, by 

 distillation and otherwise, valuable wood products; and methods of 



73477°— AGR 1910 7 



