COMMENT. 



It will be noticed that this issue is largely devoted to a dis- 

 cussion of matters pertaining to tropical forests and development 

 of forestry in the tropics. The suggestion of such an issue came 

 originally from Mr. M. L. Merritt, whose experience in the Philip- 

 pines enabled him to condense into practical limits the information 

 contained in Bulletin No. lo of the Philippine Forestry Bureau, 

 and to editorially pass on other articles in this issue. 



Next to India, it would appear that the Philippine Forestry 

 Bureau is the foremost and best developed forest service in the 

 tropics, and Major Ahern may well take credit for having brought 

 it to the standard which it has attained. 



The future of the woodtrade will undoubtedly at some time 

 largely depend on the tropics, which can, if properly directed, 

 produce more rapidly valuable woods than any other climate. But 

 we shall have to learn a great many things before this can happen. 



In the first place we must learn how to use the tropical woods 

 for our purposes in the civilized world. At present there are 

 too many of them, their value not only is little or not at all known, 

 but their specific gravity is, except for the best ornamental and 

 fancy material, a positive objection not only to their use but to 

 their exploitation. Softwoods are rare in the tropics. 



New methods of using wood, however, may be invented, like 

 the pulpboard ; new ways of logging may be devised. Eventually, 

 when true forest management has become practicable, the tropical, 

 natural forest may be changed from its present heterogeneity to 

 the homogeneity of the forester's forest. A choice of species 

 on which the management is to be based will have to be made and 

 the balance subdued ; the lighter woods may be favored in the 

 reproduction and the enormous productive power of the tropics 

 used to the best advantage. 



There are, however, also subjective troubles to be overcome. 

 The tropical climate, after all, is not attractive to white skulls, 

 and the blacks are as a rule poor workers — probably in part a re- 

 sult of the climate. The labor question and not less the question 

 of efficient superintendence are also important in not only ex- 



