80 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



THE CAKE OF THE FAKMERS' WOOD LOT. WHAT THE 



BUREAU OF FORESTRY IS DOING TO AID THE 



FARMERS AND WHY. 



BY JUDSON F. CLARK^ PH, D. 



I have been frequently asked, since coming to Michigan to explain 

 just what the Bureau of Forestry is doing to aid the farmers in the care 

 of their wood lots and why. 



The Bureau of Forestry offers to give any farmer in Michigan, or 

 for that matter in the United States, who makes application, expert 

 advice as to the care of his woodlot. This advice is given by sending 

 a man who has made a special study of the subject to the woodlot in 

 question. After making a careful examination of the conditions on 

 the spot, he informs the farmer just what should be done to improve 

 his woodlot and why. He also embodies his observations on the wood- 

 lot and the treatment recommended in a report, a copy of which is 

 sent to the owner. It may be appropriate here to add that all this is 

 done without cost to the owner and that anyone wishing to take ad- 

 vantage of the offer may do so by writing Mr. Thomas H. Sherrard, 

 Chief of the Division of Forest Management, Bureau of Forestry, Wash- 

 ington, D. C. 



It is not the Bureau's wish to have many applications from any one 

 locality for this assistance, but rather that there should be applications 

 from representative farmers throughout the State, say, several in each 

 county or, better still, one in each township. These woodlots would then 

 be in the best position from their distribution to serve as object lessons 

 in practical forestry for the whole community. 



Now as to why the Bureau makes so liberal an offer. There are three 

 chief reasons: The woodlots need it, the country needs the woodlots* 

 product, and it is the duty of the Government to educate the people. I 

 shall discuss these reasons in the reverse order. 



Its duty in regard to educating the people has always been interpreted 

 by our 'government in the most liberal manner and has included the dis- 

 covery as well as the dissemination of knowledge. It has found expres- 

 sion in a variety of ways, including the establishment of a great National 

 Department of Agriculture at Washington, and of Colleges of Agriculture 

 and Mechanic Arts and Agricultural Experiment Stations in every state 

 in the union. 



All that can be said in favor of the undertaking by the people as a 

 whole of such investigations in agriculture as are beyond the means and 

 training of the individuals engaged in its practice, can be said with added 

 emphasis in justifying this educational campaign which the Bureau of 

 Forestry has inaugurated for the dissemination of a knowledge of im- 

 proved ways of handling forest lands. I have said with added emphasis, 

 for the study of problems connected with forest crop production and 

 utilization present a variety of considerations — physiological, economic^ 

 and even psychological — which distinguish it as more complex than the 

 study of the production of any other crop whatever. 



