THE FORESTER. 



January, 



quests, for the assistance of tree planters 

 throughout the treeless regions of the 

 country, and extensive preparatory studies 

 are under way to discover the results of 

 the immense amount of planting already 

 done, very largely with poor results. The 

 circular which makes this offer public has 

 just appeared. 



Forest fires have been studied both his- 

 torically among newspapers and other 

 records, and at some length in eight States 

 in the field, and results of importance 

 have been reached and will be published 

 within the year. Studies of the growth 

 and reproduction of five important timber 

 trees have been begun with the idea of 

 determining whether it will pay to hold 

 timber land bearing these trees for a second 

 crop and pay taxes. It is expected that 

 the results for one species at least will be 

 ready lor publication during the present 

 year. A series of careful historical studies 

 of lumbering, and of the progress of for- 

 estry in the different States and in the 

 country at large, has been undertaken. 

 The forest history of one State is prac- 

 tically completed, and much additional 

 material has been gathered. A plan for 

 systematic contributions to the knowledge 

 of North American forests has been de- 

 vised, and has already yielded very val- 

 uable results. The Division has been 

 thoroughly equipped with instruments for 

 field work. A system for a photographic 

 forest description of the United States has 

 been worked out, and the collection is 

 well under way. The mailing list has 

 been carefully revised and increased from 

 1 200 to 6000 names, including about 

 2000 newspapers, while the personnel of 

 the Division at its highest was more than 

 five times the total membership at the be- 

 ginning of the last fiscal year. Through- 

 out the year the Division has been in 

 close, and to it most fruitful, cooperation 

 with the forest work of the United States 

 Geological Survey. 



ORGANIZATION. 



In view of the radical changes which 

 have been made, a word on the organiza- 

 tion of the Division is required. At pres- 

 ent all its work is assigned to four sections, 



each with a man of special knowledge and 

 qualifications at its head. These are the 

 Section of Working Plans (in charge of 

 Henry S. Graves, Superintendent of 

 Working Plans), to which all practical 

 work in the woods is assigned ; that of 

 Economic Tree Planting (in charge of 

 James W. Tourney, Superintendent of 

 Tree Planting), whose function is suffi- 

 ciently indicated by its name ; that ot 

 Special Investigations (in charge of 

 George B. Sud worth, Dendrologist) deal- 

 ing: with the habits and characteristics of 



O 



trees which affect their use in practical 

 forestry, and that of Office Work (in 

 charge of Otto J. J. Luebkert, Head 

 Clerk). Because of the absence of the 

 dendrologist in the field for several months 

 on work of importance in connection with 

 the United States Geological Survey, the 

 Section of Special Investigations has beer 

 for the year in the immediate charge oJ 

 the forester. The technical assistants, 

 under the supervision of the heads of sec- 

 tions are of various grades, of which twc 

 only need be mentioned here. 



The first grade, that of collaborator, is 

 filed by experts of established reputatior 

 in forestry, lumbering, or tree planting, 

 not otherwise connected with the Divisior 

 who have knowledge of special value to it, 

 They are not residents of Washington, bul 

 scattered throughout the countiy, and then 

 function is to prepare and forward foi 

 publication treatises on subjects previous!} 

 agreed upon. The result of the associa- 

 tion of these gentlemen with the Division, 

 of whom there are now eight, will be thf 

 preparation of authoritative statements oJ 

 great value at a moderate cost. The pa) 

 of a collaborator is $300 per annum. 



The grade of student-assistant was 

 created for two reasons : First, to pro- 

 vide trained men for the future needs o'. 

 the Division, and second, to supply it a 

 once with assistants of high intelligence a 

 small cost. The great majority of stu 

 dent-assistants are college or university 

 men. Only those who have declarec 

 their desire to adopt forestry as their pro 

 fession are received, and among these < 

 rigid selection is possible because the de 

 inand for places very largely exceeds th< 



