FORESTRY FROM A COMMERCIAL STANDPOINT. 



BY PROF. F. WM. RANK, BOSTON. 



Delivered before the Society, February 23, 1907. 



There are few if any problems of greater moment and more 

 economic importance to the state of Massachusetts at the present 

 hour than that of forestry. I have held the position of State 

 Forester to this commonweahh but for a few months. It has been 

 my privilege and duty during this time to study and become famil- 

 iar with our present forestry conditions. I have visited most 

 sections of the state, and in terms of a physician and his patient my 

 diagnosis of our forestry conditions as a whole, after due considera- 

 tion of individual symptoms, clearly shows that our patient is 

 extremely badly off ; very sick indeed. A pronounced case of "Lum- 

 berosus." The case has developed into the acute form of "Box- 

 boarditis." This disease to the specialist is well understood and 

 it would be a delight for me to go into details and trace its various 

 stages of development and from present knowledge point out with 

 a reasonable degree of assurance that had the patient received 

 proper treatment earlier, the present unfortunate condition could 

 have been avoided. Will we ever reach that ideal, we are all aware 

 of but too little heed, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of 

 cure," or "a stitch in time saves nine?" 



But here is our sick Massachusetts forestry patient. My duty 

 as state forester seems clear at the outset, namely, the checking and 

 holding of this forestry disease from further unnecessary develop- 

 ment. If the patient can be relied upon to submit to a course of 

 treatment there is every hope of her recovery. 



Since taking charge of this patient last September my time has 

 been entirely employed night and day in her behalf. Not only can 

 a specialist derive pleasure in being able to be of service in his 

 technical life's work from the purely scientific standpoint, but with 



