280 JOURNAL OF FORESTRY 



by the association. Tlie calendar should record the progress of inves- 

 tigations soon to be undertaken. When investigations are postponed 

 or abandoned without completion, reasons should be given and expla- 

 nations made when mistakes have occurred. 



If forest research is to occupy the place that it merits in this country 

 and be participated in by educational institutions and State agencies, as 

 well as the National Government, a National Forest Research Associa- 

 tion is essential. 



The question naturally arises, Where is the money coming from for 

 forest research by educational institutions? although we admit, fol- 

 lowing the analogy of other research, it naturally belongs in educa- 

 tional institutions. Forestry in most respects is closely allied with 

 agriculture. Both deal primarily with the production and utilization 

 of crops grown from the soil. Recently in this country a number of 

 well-known foresters have advocated the national support of forest 

 research by State agencies and by educational institutions. The writer 

 believes that forest research in this country must in one sense be de- 

 centralized, but in another centralized. He believes that it must become 

 a larger part of the work of State agencies and educational institutions 

 and correspondingly less a part of the work of the United States Forest 

 Service. At the same time all the research for the entire country must 

 be unified through a strong and active research association. 



The same situation was experienced in agricultural research a half 

 century ago that is experienced in forest research today. The States 

 and educational institutions could not secure money for research. With 

 the passage of the Hatch bill by Congress, agricultural research came 

 into its own in this country, and States with their educational institu- 

 tions became the active centers of agricultural research. It is generally 

 admitted that the State agricultural experiment stations, largely sup- 

 ported by the National Government, but under control of the States, 

 have returned -to the nation a thousandfold in improved and larger 

 crops for the expense incurred in their establishment and maintenance. 



Forestry needs in this country now what agriculture needed a half 

 century ago. Forestry needs a forest research station in every State in 

 the Union, under national support and linked up with an educational 

 institution, preferably with the College of Agriculture or with estab- 

 lished forestry departments in other institutions. Germany before the 

 war supported from public funds a forest research institute in each of 

 her more important States and found it well worth her while. A bill 

 should be urged in Congress for an annual appropriation of $15,000 



