SOME ASPECTS OF SILVICAL RESEARCH 279 



from an outsider by referring to my former connection with the Forest 

 Service. 



It seems to me that the Forest Service should again take vigorous 

 hold of the whole question of permanent sample plots, particularly in 

 the East, and also establish experiment stations at selected points. Fur- 

 ther, I think it should be prepared to render financial assistance, where 

 such is necessary, in order to get investigative work under way at the 

 hands of State forest services and forest schools. These agencies are 

 generally short of funds available for such work, and such co-operation 

 as is here suggested should bring valuable results. The existence of a 

 central agency, wuth traveling inspectors, to standardize methods and 

 correlate results would comprise not the least valuable feature of the 

 organization. All this need not, of course, interfere at all with the 

 conduct of investigative work by agencies which are in a position to go 

 ahead independently. The field is so large that there is plenty of room 

 for all. Neither should it be understood that appreciation is lacking 

 of what work is already under way by the leading forest schools and 

 by some of the State and private agencies. The point to be emphasized 

 is the urgent need for a greatly increased program, with special stress 

 on the practical application of results. 



In connection with the experiment station work, or otherwise, the 

 co-operation of sympathetic lumbermen could undoubtedly be secured 

 for the establishment of demonstration areas, on which various modi- 

 fications of standard methods of exploitation would be tried out and 

 the results observed carefully through a period of years. In Canada, 

 as already noted, some of the pulp and paper companies are so keenly 

 interested that they contribute very substantially toward the cost of 

 investigative work on their lands. Studies might also be made of the 

 results secured from technical plans of forest management which may 

 have been put into efifect in past years, and definite conclusions drawn, 

 by regions and types. It goes without saying that the highest grade of 

 technical talent would be required, if the results are to be sound tech- 

 nically and feasible commercially. An essential point is that all avail- 

 able data from past, present, and future studies should be thoroughly 

 digested, discussed fully with practical lumbermen, and the results 

 tested on a demonstration basis on actual operations. A big-scale, 

 broad-gauged handling of the situation is required. 



All this implies, of course, a very considerable expenditure by the 

 Federal Government and one not provided for by existing appropria- 

 tions. Have we not, however, ample precedents for such a policy of 



