408 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



future limber supply. This study will aid the Service and the State 

 to reach a ])r<)j)er conclusion regarding lorest taxation in the Lake 

 States. The plan is to study the problem of forest taxation in tyi:)ical 

 forest regions of the country. 



Cooperative ex])erimental y)lanting work was done with the New 

 York lorest, lish, and game commission, Albany; with the University 

 of Maine, Orono; with Berea College, Berea, Ky.; with the Agricul- 

 tural and Mechanical College, Agricultural College, Miss.; ancl witli 

 the Michigan Forest School, Ann Arbor. This work is to deter- 

 mine the })racticability of forest ])lanting in the different regions, the 

 best trees to plant, and the cheapest way to grow them in the nursery. 

 The experiments, for instance, of the New York forest, fish, and game 

 commission have given valuable information on nursery practice. 

 They have determined the proijer quantity of seed of the different 

 conifers to sow per bed, and they have shown among other things 

 what is the best fertilizer for seed beds; that broadcasting the seed is 

 preferable to drills; that water properly applied results in increasing 

 the growth of the seedlings from 1 inch to 2 inches a year; that 

 coniferous seedlings should be transplanted at the end of the first year; 

 and that 3-year-old transplant stock is the largest size practicable 

 for field planting. 



The Forest Service receives a large number of applications for 

 advice and assistance from private owners. In the early days of 

 the forestry movement, when no other source of advice was open, 

 the vService used so far as was practicable to send its men to examine 

 private tracts and give advice upon the ground. Now many of the 

 States have foresters, and applicants in such States are referred to 

 them. There are now also consulting foresters, whom private 

 owners of large tracts can and should employ. It is, however, still 

 the poHcy of the Forest Service to help all applicants in every proper 

 way. This is chiefly done by correspondence or conference. When 

 there are a large number of applicants in a State which has no forester, 

 and especially when they are owners of woodlots or small holdings, 

 advice as to methods of managem.ent may be given upon the ground. 

 This work, however, is intended to be educational in its scope, and 

 is done with the expectation that all the States will eventually have 

 foresters to look after it. During the year 72 examinations of 

 private tracts and woodlots in 23 States were made, aggregating 

 about 320,000 acres. Both the private and the state cooperative 

 work are made means of investigation of forest conditions, as well 

 as of practical assistance and educational value to the public. Much 

 of the knowledge which the Forest Service now possesses has been 

 gathered through such cooperative work. 



OTHEB INVESTIGATIONS. 



SILVICULTURAL STUDIES. 



An important study on the growth and management of DougLas 

 fir in the Pacific Northwest was completed. It is of particular practi- 

 cal value because Douglas fir is the best tree of this region, of extremely 

 rapid growth, of great size, and of valuable wood. The study shows 

 that reforestation can be obtained at little expense after almost any 

 Douglas fir logging operation by making provision for seed trees, 

 burning the slash immediately after logging in order to expose the 



