244 ECONOMICS OF FORESTRY. 



the knowledge of the extent of forest area of a 

 country is by itself meaningless ; the character of 

 the soil the forest occupies, its topographical loca- 

 tion, and its relation to the hydrography of the 

 country, must be known to permit an estimate of 

 cultural conditions, to prognosticate likely change 

 in area and the desirabiUty of interference in its use. 



To get an idea of the amount and value, present 

 and prospective, of the existing resource, there 

 must be known the composition, i.e. relative occur- 

 rence of merchantable kinds and conditions as to 

 density, age, and character of growth, damage by 

 fire, etc., and, most difhcult of all to ascertain, con- 

 ditions and stages of development of the young 

 crop. Only forestry experts can so ascertain such 

 statistics as to give them value. The other side 

 of the question, market conditions and statistics 

 of wood-consuming industries, offers some peculi- 

 arities, but no difficulties. 



Furthermore, when forest management is once 

 established, not only the condition of the resource, 

 but the methods of its management, call for sta- 

 tistical inquiry. 



In addition to these educational methods which 

 incite private activity in the right direction by in- 

 direct means, namely, by increase of knowledge, 

 there are more direct ameliorative or promotive 

 methods to be found in bounties which are given 

 to aid private endeavor in the pursuit of private 

 industry. 



