!)1 



money juid time and use of land and. worst of all, loss of faitli in flic jiossi- 

 bility of forest improvement. The argument is that this knuwiedKe is 

 strictly technical Imowledge, the property of the specialist. It is not 

 within the knowledge of the landowner, nor would he he .iustitied in 

 taking the time required for acquiring it from his other work. This is 

 a very summary and incomplete resume of some of the silvical factors 

 (-ntering into the problem of securing maximum quantity and optimum 

 (luality in the shortest time. 



The wood-lot, also, if it serve its purpose must yield its owner rea- 

 sonable returns upon his investment and yield such returns at regular 

 intervals. If it fails to do so its maintenance is bad business. If the 

 wood-lot is regarded as an investment, perpetuity must always be in 

 mind. It is then not mei'ely securing a return at some given period of 

 time, it is insuring by sufficient reproduction the harvesting of similar 

 crops at future periods. How much shall be cut? How often shall cut- 

 tings occur? What relation shall the time of cutting bear to the time 

 of regeneration? What species in the stand shall be en( ouraged and 

 what species eliminated? How shall the amount cut be known to equal 

 the amount grown between cutting cyles? These are a few of the fac- 

 tors entering into the problem from the standpoint of management, which 

 is after all applied economics. Here again the knowledge is expert knowl- 

 edge, it is not in the possession of the landowner nor lias he time to acquire 

 it. Yet because these factors are not considered ultimate failure is bound 

 to result. 



It seems that we have an inevitable deduction. Provision should be 

 made as a part of the force under control of the State Board of Forestry 

 lor an expert field agent whose duty it should be to furnish working plans 

 to the wood-lot owner which will ixixe direction and certainty to his efforts 

 to secure the largest .luantity and tlie best quality in the shortest time pos- 

 sible. Each tract should be inspected carefully before the working plan 

 is outlined in order that local conditions, wdiich are of the highest import- 

 ance, may be taken into account. Along constructive lines, the lines of 

 securing results, the appointment of a trained field agent is absolutely the 

 first step. Until such an office is created forestry work will be as ineffective 

 and futile in the future as it has been in the past. Advice as to cleanings, 

 Itinnings, reinforcement, control of noxious insects and Injurious fungi 

 would naturally be among the functions of such a field agent. 



Before any very great measure of success can be hoped for, provision 



