FOREST SERVICE. 537 



Government on account of the small area in forests. Little is known 

 of the native specias or of the adaptability of exotic species except 

 for ornamental planting. A large amount of systematic experi- 

 mental work will consequently be necessary to determine what 

 species are suitable for commercial forest planting. The chief rec- 

 ommendation of the preliminary report concerned legislation pro- 

 viding preferably for the creation and maintenance of a forest 

 experiment station, a technical forest director, and an initial appro- 

 priation of $18,000, or for a smaller appropriation covering the 

 salary of a forester and his necessary office and incidental expenses 

 as a means of carrying on preliminary advisory and publicity work. 

 While the board of commissioners of agriculture as a result of these 

 recommendations included in its budget to the 1912 legislature, then 

 in session, an item of $18,000 for forestry use, it failed to receive the 

 approval of the committee on finance. 



The preliminary report has been published by the board of com- 

 missioners of agriculture. A final and much more complete report 

 is being prepared. 



A preliminary examination of the forest conditions in Louisiana, 

 the results of which were prepared for publication during the year, 

 showed the principal forest problems to be those resulting from over- 

 production of lumber, forest fires, grazing, taxation, and turpentining. 

 Suggestions were made for the development of an adequate forest 

 fire protection system, more rational lumbering methods, both on the 

 large holdings and farm woodlots, forest planting, and the conserva- 

 tive management of State lands. Considerable legislation has re- 

 sulted, but, without appropriations, is inoperative. The constitution- 

 ality of the timber-tax provision of one of the latest acts designed 

 to produce funds for work in forestry is now being tested in the 

 courts. 



As a result of a cooperative study begun in the summer of 1907 

 with Kentucky, and continued in 1908 and 1909, an appropriatioQ 

 was made and a forest law was enacted at the last sessi/>n of the 

 legislature providing for the employment of a State forester, the 

 establishment of a forest fire protective system, and the acquisition 

 and administration of State forests. 



A study made in Florida in 1909 in cooperation with the State re- 

 sulted during the year in the introduction of a bill in the State legis- 

 lature to establish a State forest organization. Cooperative studies 

 of loblolly pine in North Carolina and yellow poplar in Tennessee 

 were completed. 



The compilation of State forest land and fire laws has now been 

 completed for 37 States and practically completed for 3 additional 

 States. The purpose of this compilation is to keep the Forest Service 

 in close touch with existing State forest legislation and to place it in 

 a position to give advice and to further to the utmost the develop- 

 ment of forest legislation within the States. "Within the year ma- 

 terial as.sistance of this kind was furnished to the State of Alabama. 



A tax study in cooperation with the State of "Washington was com- 

 pleted and efforts wore made to secure its publication either by the 

 State or by a private association. This, it is hoped, can be accom- 

 plished shortly. 



