!8 9 9. AMERICAN FORESTRY ASSOCIATION. nr 



The Forthcoming Year-Book. 



Review of Two Papers by Qifford Pinchot Relating to Forestry. 



(From the advance sheets, by courtesy of 



THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE.) 



Work of the Division of Forestry for Census of 1890, more than 200,000,000- 



the Farmer. are under wood. This enormous total, 



. . . broken up into wood lots over a very 

 "No part of the work of the Division large part of the Tj nited States, exerts a 

 of Forestry is without a distinct in- most power f u i influence on the welfare 

 fluence for good upon the farmer: For of the farmer to whom it belongs. Yet, 

 example, its study of forest fires, re- as a mlCj the treatmen t which farmers' 

 cently begun, has the closest relation to wood lotg rece i ve j s calculated to de- 

 the farmers of Minnesota and Wiscon- gtroy ratrier than increase their pro- 

 sin, while, in all mountainous regions, ductive capacity and value. The object 

 the protection of the forest from fire is of the undertaking described in the 

 of vital interest to agriculture. So with pages following is to devise, and assist 

 the supply of lumber, to maintain which the f armer m applying, better methods by 

 is the object of the studies by the Divi- wn i c h tne forest on his wood lot will be 

 sion of methods of lumbering, also re- improved without appreciably increasing 

 cently undertaken with a view to 1m- t he cost of harvesting the forest crop, or 

 proving their effect on the future of the s j mp j y to apply such methods where- 

 forest without sacrificing the profit of ^ already exist. * * * 

 the lumberman. << To benefit the owner and the forest 

 "Practical assistance given to the a t the same time is the real problem, 

 owners of forest lands has the same \ n other words, the cost of harvesting 

 general object in view. A knowledge of the timber crop from a wood lot in the 

 the yearly rate of growth, in cords or usual way differs but little, if at all, from 

 board feet, of commercially valuable the cost of harvesting it, so that its pro- 

 trees per acre of forest is of great value ductive value will be improved and in- 

 to every man who owns a wood lot ; and creased. Thus, the difference to the 

 this knowledge the Division is engaged farmer in expenditure will be very small, 

 in providing, with particular attention to while the difference in result, both to the 

 the trees which, like the Loblolly, or Old individual and, from the enormous area 

 Field Pine, are sure to increase in im- Q f all wood lots taken together, to the- 

 portance as time goes on. nation at large, will be very great." 



"But however close the relation of The pamphlet concludes with a com- 



the others, two branches of the work of plete working plan for a wood lot at 

 the Division are related to the welfare of Oakland, N. J., as set forth in detail by 

 the farmer in a special manner. The Henry S. Graves, superintendent of 



two are concerned with the intro- working plans. This is illustrated by 

 duction of suitable trees for planting in two drawings and numerous tables sum- 

 the treeless portions of the West, and marizing the work done. Themethods- 

 with the better handling of the wood of cutting recommended, the details of 

 lots on farms in the regions where trees the cutting plan, and the rules which 

 now grow. * * * should be observed to secure the best 



"Of the 623,000,000 acres of farms results from cutting, are given in con- 

 in the United States, according to the densed form. 



