EDUCATION IN FORESTRY. 53 



satisfy the demands of a rapidly growing population. Agricultural develop- 

 ment of the future must not be unduly stressed, however, since wood is as 

 important a factor in our present-day civilization as is food material. The 

 tendency in older countries is to provide for increasing populations through the 

 introduction of more intensive methods of utilizing the soil. Germany main- 

 tains 26 per cent of her area in wood production. 



THE COMMUNITY SURVEY. 



The farm-to-farm survey, involving also a study "of wood markets and farm 

 requirements for wood, will indicate the relative importance of the wood crop 

 and serve as a basis to determine the time, emphasis, and content of the course 

 of study. Because of the bulky character of woodland products, the factors of 

 transportation, involving the condition of country roads, distance to railroad, 

 and railway rates, require special study, since these are often the controlling 

 factors in marketing wood at a profit. Too often the fanner is at the mercy of 

 the local dealer simply because he is unable to get his logs to market. The 

 marketing of woodland products is frequently as difficult of solution as is the 

 handling of perishable crops. 



The farm requirements for repair and other wood products vary according 

 to the intensiveness of agricultural practices, the demands upon the woodland be- 

 ing greatest in well-developed communities. Thus, the total area of woodland in 

 a community is, in itself, not a true index to the relative importance of forestry 

 in the course of sti dy, market demands and farm needs demanding equal con- 

 sideration. The coal situation during the recent war brought out the fact that 

 many communities throughout the country used little or no coal for domestic 

 heating. 



Just where woodland forestry will be introduced into the four-year course 

 of study depends upon its relative importance as a farm activity. In a com- 

 munity which is being developed along the line of diversified agriculture, and 

 it is from this standpoint that the small woodland possesses the greatest possi- 

 bilities in supplying the farm requirements for wood, the subject matter in 

 forestry may well be introduced into the second or third year work, combining 

 it with allied agricultural subjects to make a. full year's work. Where farm- 

 ing practices are more specialized, the arrangement of the course of study 

 must, of necessity, be modified. Thus, in a community where grazing is the 

 principal agricultural interest, considerable time should be devoted to wood 

 production as an adjunct to the growing of live stock. On the other hand, in 

 a specialized market-gardening community where no woodlands occur, the work 

 in forestry may be reduced to a minimum. 



PROJECT WORK. 



In general, the course of study in woodland forestry will be built up about 

 the projects of possible interest to the pupils of a given community. Because 

 of the run-down condition of the average woodland, the project of greatest in- 

 terest to the boy will be along the line of reorganization on a profitable basis. 

 Projects, both major and mino.r, of possible interest in certain communities 

 are: 



MAJOR PROJECTS. 



Reorganization of the farm woodland on a profitable basis. 



Management of the farm woodland in the production of wood. 



Turpentine orcharding as an adjunct to wood production. 



Basket willow production. 



The production of nursery stock. 



The management of the sugar bush. 



