18 FOREST commissioner's REPORT. 



and a new one, while from the nature of the case investiga- 

 tion had to be hasty and methods rough and inexact. Yet 

 this fact does not deprive our work of its vahie. Approxi- 

 mate information, if it is to the point, will be great gain. 

 General results are what is needed, not fine fiijurino- on anv 

 particular problem or piece of land. 



The inaccuracies and incompleteness of this work are to no 

 one more apparent than to the writer. That the results in 

 every direction fall far l)elow what could be desired, that the 

 percentage of possible error is great, that questions are asked 

 which cannot be answered, that in the field work corners 

 have been skipped and very much left to judgment or taken 

 at second hand, can be regretted by no one more than by 

 him. These shortcomings, however, there is no desire to 

 conceal. The narrative form is employed in this report 

 because it serves best to bring out the many side issues and 

 break up the information conveyed into comprehensible 

 form. It is welcomed, however, for frankness' sake, that it 

 may be plainly seen hoAV conclusions were arrived at and 

 from how firm a basis of fact. So guarded, our Avork 

 should carry no undeserved weight, should present no appear- 

 ance of accuracy that could not be attained. 



