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management. Farmers were slow to recognize the need of agricultural 

 experiment stations and county farm bureaus. They will more readily 

 admit their need for information regarding their wood-lots. Informa- 

 tion must be formulated regarding production on farm wood-lots, and 

 disseminated throughout the state by means of direct contact with the 

 farmers and by co-operation with the county farm advisers. 



Next in importance in this program of farm extension in forestry 

 comes the teaching of farm forestry at the state university, in order to 

 supply its agricultural students with basic 'information on the manage- 

 ment of such woodlands for use either in the role of owners or as teach- 

 ers and demonstrators connected with farm-extension work as county 

 agents. 



The first duty of the state is to provide for this instruction. This 

 should require a definite organized department of forestry as one of the 

 main branches of the state experiment station at Urbana. The purpose 

 of this department should be, first, to establish experimental areas in 

 forestry, located at several points within the state on diflferent classes 

 of soils, on which experiments may be conducted in the management 

 of existing tracts of natural forests, the reclamation of eroded lands by 

 forest planting, and the testing of methods of treatment of woodlands 

 for greater profit. 



Second, from the results of these experiments supplemented by ex- 

 tensive observations and study throughout the state, definite practical 

 recommendations should be formulated for the management of farm 

 woodlands and this information should be carried directly to the farmer 

 by personal contact as well as by bulletins and other methods of pro- 

 moting publicity. 



Third, Illinois must make a definite efYort to put an end for all time 

 to forest fires. This will ultimately mean, at least in certain portions 

 of the state, a system of fire-wardens similar to tliat in successful oper- 

 ation in other states. A .system of unpaid local or township fire-wardens 

 might be inaugurated to begin with, until experience indicates the needed 

 measures for improvement. The laws now on the statute botiks prescrib- 

 ing penalties for the setting of fires in woodlands are jirobably suffi- 

 cient with a slight overhauling. The essential thing is to have fire pro- 

 tection of forested lands placed under the jurisdiction of some branch 

 of state government sufficiently interested and with machinery at its 

 command for the sticcessful enforcement of the fire laws. 



