CORRELATION OF AMERICAN FOREST RESEARCH 175 



about either directly or indirectly, through itself or some other or- 

 ganization, the publication annually or periodically of a statement in- 

 dicating the projects and their scope upon which each agency or organi- 

 zation will conduct investigations. This I urge as a first step with 

 the hope and belief that it will of itself lead to further measures. The 

 cost of such a publication would be very small. If the data were pre- 

 pared in accordance with an accepted form the labor involved in its 

 compilation could be reduced to a point where it would not be a bur- 

 den to busy men. 



The second step to be secured more gradually, but as soon and as 

 far as practicable, should be the correlation of the forest research 

 carried on by all agencies in the United States, together with such 

 cooperation as might seem to be desirable and advantageous. Obviously 

 in correlation or cooperation there should be no spirit of compulsion. 

 No organization should be asked to surrender the right to decide 

 finally for itself what it would or would not do. The desired ends 

 could be obtained best through suggestion and a spirit of give and 

 take on the part of all concerned. The object should be to stimulate 

 rather than hamper and retard individual initiative, but to stimulate 

 individual initiative along the most effective lines from the standpoint 

 of the general public good. 



The third step should be to bring those organizations which are 

 not sufficiently active in forest research to a full realization of their 

 responsibilities. 



I wish especially at this time to call your attention to the need both 

 for deliberation and action before the research activities of the many 

 organizations in the United States become so crystallized that changes 

 would be difficult or impossible. 



