8 THE NATIONAL FOREST MANUAL. 



ing data on water supply and available power, and with any other 

 officer or unit of organization in the district whose work bears on 

 the particular investigation in hand. The aim of such investigations 

 will be: (1) to compile all published or manuscript data obtainable 

 bearing on the problem ; (2) to secure all necessary information on the 

 physical conditions involved, as stand, species and quality of timber, 

 available water power, distance from shipping points, freight rates 

 to most accessible markets, and the like; and (3) to indicate what 

 special studies of a technical or experimental nature, if any, should 

 be undertaken to complete the study. Such a preliminary investiga- 

 tion will be embodied in a report on which direct action can be taken 

 by the district forester or assignments for further investigation made 

 by the assistant forester in charge of the Branch. 



Organization. 



Products experts in the several districts are under the direction of 

 and directly responsible to the district foresters. Their relationship 

 to the district forester is the same as that of other members of the 

 district office staff. The district forester is responsible for the assign- 

 ment of such experts to the problems which they should study and for 

 the supervision of their work. Their duties should be correlated with 

 those of the district office of Silviculture, and where advisable such 

 experts may, with the approval of the assistant forester in charge 

 of Forest Products, be placed under the administrative direction of 

 the chief of Silviculture. Their work will be under the supervision 

 of the assistant forester in charge of the Branch, through the district 

 forester, in the same manner as that of district officers assigned to 

 Silviculture or Grazing. 



Field of work. 



The field of Products experts assigned to National Forest districts 

 embraces all investigations and problems connected with the use and 

 marketing of National Forest timber, the construction of improve- 

 ments on the Forests, and related administrative questions. The fol- 

 lowing are included : 



(1) Studies of existing industries, covering methods and costs of 

 manufacture, grades or other specifications of manufactured products, 

 and prices obtained for manufactured products. The collection of 

 market prices, mill scale studies to determine grades and overrun, 

 and investigations of kiln-drying methods come under this heading. 



(2) Waste in existing industries and closer utilization possible 

 through improved methods. 



(3) New uses for National Forest species through wood preser- 

 vation. 



(4) Introduction of industries which will result in closer or more 

 profitable utilization, as the manufacture of pulp and paper, wood 

 distillation, turpentining, and the manufacture of secondary wood 

 products. 



(5) Market prejudices against particular species or classes of ma- 

 terial and means of overcoming them through special studies or 

 publicity. 



(6) General questions of timber supply and demand, markets, and 

 freight rates, which the district forester deems it advisable to study. 



(7) Advice and assistance in the construction of National Forest 

 improvements, particularly in the use of wood preservatives. 



