240 APPENDIX. 



Present Standing of Forestry. 



The period which has passed since 1898 has been, in forest 

 work, a period of large definite aceomphshments and of 

 effective preparation for the future. Commercial tree studies 

 looking toward management have been prosecuted for 32 

 important species. Working plans have been prepared in 

 28 States, and field work has been conducted in every State 

 and Territory in the United States, and in Porto Kico, Alaska, 

 and the Philippines. 



The scientific knowledge gathered in the field has taken 

 form in a rapidly growing literature on the subject, and has 

 furnished the basis for a system of professional education. 

 To-day there is scarcely more occasion for the American to go 

 abroad to study forestry than to study medicine or law. 



In the field of economic tree planting the same story is 

 repeated and shows definite, important, and permanent results. 

 It is true that in 1898 farmers throughout the Middle West, 

 where tree planting finds its largest field of economic useful- 

 ness, were already alive to their need of planted timber. But 

 the knowledge of what kinds of trees to plant and how to 

 make them grow was imperfect. These were the fundamental 

 problems : (1) The comparative adaptability of various species 

 to regional and local conditions of climate, soil and moisture ; 

 (2) the comparative usefulness of the species which can be 

 made to thrive ; (3) the protective benefits of planted timber ; 

 and, (4) the rate of growth and the future yield which can be 

 expected. 



Substantial progress toward the solution of all of these 

 problems has been accomplished. The Forest Service has 

 made in all 300 separate planting plans for private owners, 

 covering an aggregate area of over 50,000 acres, in 36 States 

 and Territories. It has established in the minds of western 

 farmers generally the fact that tree planting can be made 

 successful and that it adds to the money value of their farms. 

 It has also called attention to the great hygienic importance 



