1216 A NATIONAL PLAN FOB AMERICAN FORESTRY 



sion of knowledge of how to establish and manage forests. On the 

 other hand, there are phases directly relating to the Federal Govern- 

 ment's own research and practices in which extension work can prob- 

 ably be best carried on by the Federal organization. 



FEDERAL AID IN RESEARCH 



Research is a necessary part of the establishment of forests and the 

 management of forest land. In every phase of the work the collec- 

 tion of seed, the planting of denuded areas, the establishment of 

 natural conditions favorable to tree growth, the protection of the 

 stand, the cutting, manufacture, and conditioning of wood for use 

 success must depend on definite scientific knowledge. The scientific 

 data of American forestry are as yet all too scanty. If, therefore, the 

 Federal Government engages in any phase of forestry, research 

 becomes properly a part of the effort. 



It is not necessary, however, that the Federal Government spend 

 funds specifically for research in the program of State aid. Present 

 Federal legislation for aid in protection, planting, extension, and 

 education allows for research work by the States along the particular 

 lines of work appropriated for. States cooperating under section 2 

 of the Clarke-McNary Act can use Federal money in research work 

 for fire control on the same condition as in fire control itself, i.e., upon 

 approval by the Federal agency of projects undertaken. The same 

 is true with reference to research in connection with planting and 

 extension work. Should any other lines of Federal aid be undertaken, 

 similar provision should and doubtless will be made. In view of this 

 probability, there would seem to be little need of specific legal provi- 

 sion for Federal aid in research as such. 



INVESTIGATION AND CONTROL OF FOREST INSECTS 

 NATURE AND EXTENT OF INSECT ATTACKS 



Forest tree insects are usually heard of only when an epidemic 

 breaks out. Hence they are thought of ordinarily as existing only 

 in an epidemic stage. Quite the contrary is true. Scattered through 

 the forests at all times are the same tree insects which form insect 

 epidemics, but these are normally in a quiescent or so-called endemic 

 stage. In this stage the insects play a normal part in the life history 

 of the forest by killing trees weakened by other causes such as old 

 age, lightning, or disease. 



At any time, in either hardwood or coniferous forests, owing to 

 factors such as a favorable season, dearth of natural enemies, or the 

 like, some species of forest insect may increase with tremendous 

 rapidity and change the infestation from an endemic to an epidemic 

 stage. During the epidemic stage the insects are capable of covering 

 many square miles or several States before natural causes intervene 

 to restore normal conditions, after terrific losses have been incurred 

 in forest values. The pine beetle epidemic in 1910-11 destroyed 

 timber valued at millions of dollars in the Southern States. The 

 larch sawfly epidemics practically wiped out the merchantable larch 

 in the entire Lake States. The spruce bud- worm epidemic has 

 caused immense losses in the spruce-fir forescs in New England and 

 Canada. 



