FUTURE POLICY. 29 



clear land. The only safe attitude for the board to take under present 

 conditions is to assume that all the Government's forests should remain 

 intact, and it should recede from this position only in those individual 

 cases where the contrary is plainly proved. 



EXTERMINATION OF INSECT PESTS. 



The effective work which has been done by the entomological service 

 of the islands toward the extermination of certain kinds of injurious 

 insects suggests the possibility of ridding the forests of some of the 

 insects which are devastating them, and furnishes ground for the 

 recommendation that the board, in connection with its entomologists, 

 take the matter into consideration. 



ASSISTANCE TO LANDOWNERS. 



Throughout the islands there is great interest on the part of both 

 individual and corporate landowners in the development and preser- 

 vation of forests. And yet the individual is often at a loss to know 

 what trees to plant for his situation where to get them, how to plant 

 successfully, and how to care for the planted or native forest. This 

 is information which only the trained forester can give. For lack of 

 it some landowners have made no effort in forest work; others have 

 worked with meager results. 



It should be a part of the forest policy to give such assistance to 

 landowners as the need requires. Studies should be made on the 

 ground to determine what trees to plant and what methods to adopt, 

 both in the establishment and in the care of woodlands. In many 

 cases it will be beneficial, if not necessary, to assist in procuring seeds 

 and plants, especially those which have to be procured outside of the 

 islands. In so far as the Government nursery is made use of for the 

 production of trees for planting on private lands, the trees should be 

 of valuable economic kinds, and where distributions are made from the 

 nursery the planting should be done under the supervision of the super- 

 intendent of forestry. 



COOPERATION WITH THE BUREAU OF FORESTRY. 



The close relation existing between the forest service of the islands 

 and the Federal Bureau of Forestry can be maintained with direct 

 benefit to each. It will strengthen the insular service to have the 

 advice and support of the Bureau in dealing with the problems which 

 it will have to meet. On the other hand, such cooperation will enable 

 the Bureau to keep in as close touch with the forest administration of 

 these important islands as it does with forest affairs in the different 

 States. 



O 



