REPORT OF THE FORESTER. 



XL S. Department of Agriculture, 



Bureau of Forestry, 

 Washington, D. C, October 10, 1901. 

 SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith a report of the work of 

 the Division of Forestry for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1901, 

 together with an outline of the plans for the work of the new Bureau 

 for the current fiscal year. 



Respectfully, Gifford Pinchot, 



Forester. 

 Hon. James Wilson, Secretary. 



WORK OF THE YEAR. 



GENERAL PROGRESS. 



During the past year the demand for the services of the Division of 

 Forestry has continued steadily to outstrip its resources. In particu- 

 lar, the demand for forest working plans has notably increased, 

 although the gain in acres is less than for the previous year, since the 

 latter included the whole area of the National forest reserves, and no 

 other single application of parallel magnitude is possible. 



Beyond the increased demand for the services of the Division, and 

 the increased appreciation of its work in which this demand had its 

 rise, the most notable fact of the year was the advancement of the 

 Division to be a Bureau by the agricultural appropriation bill approved 

 March 2, 1901. The Bureau of Forestry came into existence July 1, 

 1901. 



The Bureau is now called upon to give practical assistance and 

 advice in the management of National, State, and private forests on 

 about 50,000,000 acres, an area larger than that covered by the State 

 of Nebraska. It has become to the people of the United States the 

 recognized source of help in the handling of timber tracts and wood 

 lots, the making of forest plantations, the study of commercial trees, 

 and the investigation of important forest problems. It is occupying 

 more and more fully its natural position as adviser in all forest mat- 

 ters in this country. 



During the past year the preparation of the results for publication 

 has been somewhat overshadowed by the urgent demand for field 

 work, to satisfy which must always be the first duty of the Bureau. 

 Provision has, however, been made for the prompt preparation of 

 reports for publication in future, and the large number of manuscripts 

 on hand will be made ready as rapidly as possible. 



Satisfactory progress has been made during the year in the further 

 organization of a body of trained men, which was wholly lacking 



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