CONSIDERATIONS IN SILVICULTURAL KKSIvARCII 877 



selves in the anomalous condition of being without wood products for 

 the lack of knowledge how to grow them. This is, to be sure, a reduc- 

 tio ad ahsurdum, but it is a logical deduction. Furthermore, it em- 

 phasizes the fact that silvicultural problems are more fundamental. 



I wish to go a little further into detail than my predecessors to show 

 the inadequacy of the investigations in silvics and silviculture as organ- 

 ized at the present time in the Forest Service. I realize that there is no 

 doubt a good reason for every mod us operandi which the Forest Serv- 

 ice has employed in its research work. To some extent economic, 

 financial, and political considerations, unfortunately, enter into this 

 work, due to the manner in which research work is organized. But 

 even aside from these inherent characteristics, no one will say that 

 there is not room for improvement. If this were not the case, there 

 would be no excuse for any further discussion of the subject. The men 

 whom I have quoted at the beginning of this paper ought to be proof 

 enough for this statement. I wash, then, to point out a few needs in 

 this direction, as I see them, and as many research men have seen them 

 in the past. 



THE 0Ni:-SIDF,DNESS 01' THE FOREST SERVICE INVESTIGATIVE PROGRAM 



Fernow^- pointed out that less than 20 per cent of the problems in- 

 vestigated by the Forest Service were real forestry problems. In look- 

 ing over the investigative program of the Forest Service for the fiscal 

 year 1917,^" it likewise is striking to note the small percentage of money 

 that is appropriated for real forestry problems. P>y way of comparison. 

 the following table is offered : 



Forest products investigations : 



National Forest utilization studies $21,560 



Industrial and statistical investigations 22,8jo 



Forest Products Laboratory supervision 8.080 



Timber physics _'2/)Cxi 



Timber tests -'4,000 



Wood preservation 20.960 



Wood distillation -7,I40 



Pulp and paper investictations 26,420 



Lumber industry studic s 4,460 



'I'Mtal $178,100 



Range invistigations 30,060 



Silvicultural investigations : 



Dendrological studies ■"^■450 



Forestation studies jS,oio 



"Loc. cit., page 2. 



"Program of work (if the United States Department of Agriculture for the 

 fiscal year 1017. Washington, D. C., 1916. pp. 230-246. 



