6 THE NATIONAL FOREST MANUAL. 



FOREST PRODUCTS LABORATORY. 



Purpose. 



The field of the Forest Products Laboratory is to conduct technical 

 studies and experiments designed primarily to add to the existing 

 knowledge of the properties and constituents of wood and to develop 

 new processes or methods of utilization having economic value. It 

 is also the function of the Laboratory to follow up technical experi- 

 ments by the commercial application of their results, as far as may be 

 practicable, on an industrial scale. In general no investigation will 

 be considered complete until the experimental results obtained at the 

 Laboratory have been checked on a commercial scale and their in- 

 dustrial value demonstrated. 



Direction of technical work. 



The Laboratory directs all of the strictly technical and scientific 

 work of the Branch of Products within its field and the methods of 

 experimental investigation employed. As far as practicable, techni- 

 cal investigations will be concentrated at the Laboratory. Where 

 advisable to conduct such investigations elsewhere, this will be done : 

 (1) by an expert detailed from the Laboratory for the purpose and 

 working under its immediate direction; or (2) by a local member of 

 the Service working under the direction of the executive officer of 

 the unit concerned, but in accordance with plans approved by the 

 Laboratory and such further supervision and inspection as the Direc- 

 tor considers necessary. The supervision of Products experts in 

 the National Forest districts by the Laboratory extends only to 

 technical or scientific investigations conducted under the w r orking 

 plan procedure as defined on page 25, and is exercised through the 

 district foresters. 



Organization. 



The Forest Products Laboratory is located at Madison, Wis., under 

 the immediate supervision of a Director who reports to the assistant 

 forester in charge of the Branch. 



Administrative assistants. 



Such administrative assistants as are required will be designated 

 by the director to assist him in supervising the work of the Labora- 

 tory and to perform special duties. 



Sections. 



The work of the Laboratory is divided into sections corresponding 

 with the major lines of investigation and designated by the director 

 with the approval of the assistant forester. Each section is in charge 

 of a section chief. 

 Committees. 



The director of the Laboratory will designate from time to time 

 such committees as he deems advisable to pass upon working plans 

 for projects in particular lines of investigation. The aim will be to 

 bring together in each committee the members of the Laboratory 

 staff whose experience and capacity in the particular line of investi- 

 gation or related investigations will make their scrutiny of a working 

 plan of the greatest value in accomplishing the best results under a 

 proposed project. Such committees will form a permanent feature of 

 the organization of the Forest Products Laboratory, but their per- 

 sonnel may be changed from time to time as the director sees fit. 



