104 ANNUAL. REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



fanners, who own in the agjiiegate so considerable a part of our 

 timber-growing hind. From the fact that the farmer's woodlot 

 constitutes a permanent holding, drawn upon steadily for wood sup- 

 plies, the practice of forestry can probably be more easily introduced 

 on the woodlot than on the large holdings of lumbermen, whose 

 operations are seldom planned with a view to holding the land per- 

 manently for forest purposes. 



A very important part of the investigative work is that which 

 relates to the study of forest products. The major part of this work 

 is conducted in the Forest Products Laboratory at Madison, Wis. 

 It includes studies in the physical properties of wood, the drying of 

 •wood, strength tests, wood preservation, wood distillation, the pro- 

 duction of wood pulp and paper and of naval stores, and wood 

 utilization. Many of these studies are highly technical, but all are 

 thoroughly practical in their aim. The facilities for scientific re- 

 search in the field of forest products are now adequate, and the work 

 is well organized and conducted by a corps of trained specialists. 

 Results are being attained which mean a lessened drain upon our 

 forest supplies through more economical use of material, the opening 

 of new sources of supply for various industries, the utilization of 

 every kind of wood for the purpose to which its intrinsic qualities 

 best adapt it, a greater incentive to the practice of forestry because 

 of the increased returns made possible, better adjustment of wood- 

 using industries to meet the conditions created by past use without 

 forethought, and a general clarifying of the situation with respect 

 to our forest resources and requirements through accurate knowledge 

 of w'hat these requirements are and what is available to fill them. 



BUREAU OF SOILS. 

 SOIL SURVEY. 



Soil surveys were carried on in 60 areas distributed through 21 

 States, and a total area of 95,420 square miles was mapped. Of this 

 area, 25,096 square miles were mapped in detail and 70,324 square 

 miles were mapped in the broader, more general way, which we 

 designate as reconnoissance mapping. 



The demand for surveys continues to run far ahead of our ability 

 to do the work. An increasing interest in the work is being mani- 

 fested by agricultural colleges and experiment stations. They are 

 beginning to use the results of the w^ork as a basis for their experi- 

 ments as well as their demonstration and extension work. The lack 

 of such a demand in the past has been due to a recognition of the 

 futility of the demand if it were made. Soil surveys had not, until 

 very recently, covered an area in any State sufficiently large to enable 

 investigators to draw any general conclusions from them or to base 



