794 A NATIONAL PLAN FOR AMERICAN FORESTRY 



considerably varying degree. Here, obviously, the results of silvicul- 

 tural research are needed, and will be more and more needed as 

 practices of forestry by private owners become intensive. The need 

 of forest research for this purpose is of the same general kind as the 

 need for agricultural research on behalf of agriculture. 



Obviously, the outstanding immediate need of most States has 

 been for more light on matters directly affecting their operations in 

 connection with fire control and the production and planting of 

 nursery stock. Planting methods are important not only in connec- 

 tion with planting operations on State forests, in those States having 

 them, but also for guiding private owners to whom the State supplies 

 the stock grown in its nurseries if the field planting is a failure the 

 work of the State in producing the stock has gone for naught. It has 

 been to meet immediate needs of these kinds that most of the ad hoc 

 minor investigative projects already referred to have been under- 

 taken. But whether or not the States are likely in the near future 

 to enlarge materially their administrative field through building up 

 State forests (which there is reason to expect), it will be necessary to 

 obtain in some way the basic knowledge required to advance the 

 practice of forestry. This raises the question of the research facili- 

 ties available, actually or potentially, for that part of the investiga- 

 tive work which will not be taken care of through the Federal agency. 



STATE FOREST RESEARCH FACILITIES 



Facilities for State forest research are afforded (1) by the State 

 forestry departments, (2) by the universities and colleges in which 

 technical forestry is taught, and (3) by State agricultural experiment 

 stations. 



Facilities of the State forestry departments. State forestry depart- 

 ments vary greatly in age, available funds, and range of activities. 

 Some are still in a preliminary stage of organization, struggling with 

 inadequate resources to meet difficult and critical problems, of which 

 the protection of the forests from the devastating effects of fire is 

 sufficient, alone, to absorb much more than the meager funds granted 

 them. Other States with older and more strongly developed depart- 

 ments have advanced further in research, the beneficial effects of 

 which are becoming apparent. Pennsylvania and Michigan have 

 gone so far as to establish forest research centers and experimental 

 stations, while others have developed forest nursery research and test 

 arboreta, or have made valuable contributions through the study of 

 tree species or forest types within their boundaries. 



The Pennsylvania Forest Research Institute at Mont Alto is out- 

 standing as a forest research agency which is an integral part of the 

 State forestry department and is provided as a part of its equipment 

 for performing its practical duties. This institute was dedicated to 

 forest research on June 5, 1930, to bring about the betterment of forest 

 practices on all types of forest land in Pennsylvania. The studies to 

 be undertaken cover a wide field and embrace both those termed 

 fundamental and those classed as administrative. The staff of the 

 institute is made up of five to seven technical men. 



Somewhat similar in its field of work is the Cloquet Forest Research 

 Station, located at Cloquet, Minn. ; but this station is not maintained 

 by the State forestry department but is a part of the Agricultural 

 Experiment Station of the University of Minnesota. It was estab- 



