FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 45 



forestry in the general land office. The division of forestry in the depart- 

 ment of agriculture naturally felt hurt that Uncle Sam should have for- 

 gotten to centralize in it all government forest work. Passing over the 

 anxiety and period in which we nearly lost our reserves, there came 

 another division of forestry in the United States geological survey, con- 

 cerned with land classification in the federal reserves, including a study 

 of the character, distribution and available supply of commercial timbers, 

 together with a study of the damages done by forest fires. Three divisions 

 of forestry under ditterent branches of the government. 



Attending these movements and work came other movements. The 

 lumbermen were being compelled to cut smaller and smaller diameter 

 limits in order to supply the enormous demand for lumber. The virgin 

 forests of pine, of oak and walnut were disappearing. Thoughtful lum- 

 bermen, wood consuming industries, and the sentiment of the people 

 were turning seriously to a system of forestry which would secure a 

 sustained yield of timber. There was moment favorable for the intro- 

 duction of practical forestry. The division of forestry in the department 

 of agriculture was prepared then to do it, but needed more funds. 



The appropriation for the forest work of the agricultural department 

 was increased from |28,520 in 1898 to |188,520 in 1901, and now the 

 funds needed for the fiscal year 1901-1903 amount to |301,000. In July, 

 1901, the division of forestry became a bureau. Giving rise to this need 

 of an increased supply of funds and increased organization in a new 

 policy and development of practical field forest work. The lumbermen 

 have been made to see that properly regulated lumbering is a part of 

 forestry which is compatible with legitimate and immediate profits. The 

 forester has convinced him that forestry is not a sentiment, but a cold 

 business proposition. The lumberman has been shown that the forester 

 is his helper; that lumbering is not the work of a vandal, but under 

 easy restrictions a part of forest utilization. The change of the lumber- 

 man's attitude is a marked advance for forestry in the United States. 



With the understanding also, that under conservative management the 

 vast timber resources of the federal forest reserves are to be utilized 

 by the people, it has been possible without serious opposition for the 

 government to increase the total area in reserves to some 16,327,909 

 acres. With the nearly assured establishment of the Appalachian forest 

 reserve of about a million and a half acres, these reserves will reach from 

 the Atlantic to the Pacific, and include also forest planting reserves in 

 the treeless Middle West. Forestry, both as expressed in the rapidly 

 increased and increasing area of the federal reserves, and in the increased 

 funds for government forest work, shows that forestry is gaining a firm 

 foothold in this country — in fact, I may say has already gained it. 



Other gratifying evidences that we are embracing forestry with a 

 fixed purpose is the rise of forest education in the United States, and 

 the eagerness with Avhich commercial interests controlling extensive 

 timber lands are seeking the advice and cooperation of the bureau of 

 forestry. 



New York established a college of forestry in 1898. Connecticut 

 established one in 1900. A course in technical forestry is given also at 

 the Biltmore (X. C.) Forest School. In addition, many colleges and 

 universities are ottering courses of lectures on forestry; and but for the 

 lack of properly trained foresters, a number of institutions would gladly 



