SOME FUNDAMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS IN THE PROSE- 

 CUTION OF SILVICULTURAL RESEARCH 



By Richard H. Boerker 



In the following series of articles, in four parts, I am going to attempt 

 to point out some of the fundamental considerations which, in my opin- 

 ion, should be emphasized in prosecuting research work bearing upon 

 silvics and silviculture. If we are to make logical and sane progress 

 in strictly forestry research, we must first recognize the importance of 

 research work; secondly, recognize the research type of man; third, 

 train competent men in research work, especially in botany ; fourth, 

 give them employment ; and lastly give them full recognition as scien- 

 tists, regardless of their ability as organizers, directors, and adminis- 

 trators. In the articles I will briefly comment upon the real signifi- 

 cance of research work ; the necessity of recognizing the research type 

 of man as something quite apart from the administrative type ; the need 

 of training competent research men, especially in plant ecology and 

 plant physiology ; the one-sidedness of the present Government re- 

 search program ; and the desirability- of divorcing research work as 

 much as possible from administrative work. Furthermore, I wish to 

 propose the formation of an advisory committee of foresters for the 

 purpose of considering the needs of silvical and silvicultural research 

 and for the purpose of considering the specific suggestions which other 

 foresters as well as myself have made and which will be enumerated 

 in Part IV of the series to be published in a later issue of the Journai,. 



These papers will be entitled : 



I. What is Research? 

 II. Recognizing the Research Type of Forester. 



III. Training Competent Research Men, especially in the Botanical 



Sciences. 



IV. The Present Status of Government Research Work. 



I. What Is Research ? 



To some foresters it would seem as sensible to ask, What is forestry? 



as to ask What is research? I dare say many of us have talked about 



it, read about it, and even written about it without catching the deep 



significance of this phase of science. Some would say that "experi- 



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