BUREAU 01' FOKESTKY. l75 



through the periodical press of the country. It is believed that along 

 this last line there is opportunity for a large increase in the service 

 rendered by the Bureau as a source of useful knowledge, and steps 

 have accordingly been taken to provide for the more frequent issue of 

 press bulletins and to utilize more effectively this important and eco- 

 nomical method of diffusing some of the information which the inves- 

 tigations of the Bureau supply. 



In the revision of reports there has been a gain in effectiveness 

 through closer internal cooperation to secure the most careful criticism, 

 combined with plans for classifying, collating, and elaborating the 

 material now on hand, and it is being followed by a decided increase 

 in the amount of useful information made public by the Bureau, 

 accompanied by the maintenance of a high standard in originality and 

 value. 



FOREST MEASTTKEMENTS. 



Under the distribution of work in the Bureau which became effec- 

 tive at the beginning of the fiscal year, forest computation, forest 

 maps, and silvics were assigned to Forest Measurements. 



Forest Computation. 



During the year the section of Forest Computation handled the 

 results of 24,498 acres of valuation surveys, 33,29.5 analyses of trees, 

 16,090 height measurements, and 2,321 taper measurements. These 

 data were collected in the preparation of eight working plans, studies 

 of five commercial trees, two cooperative State forest studies, and five 

 investigations of local pi'oblems in forest extension. They represent 

 forest conditions in twelve States, and furnish information regarding 

 thirty-nine species. Final tables of volume, height, age, and yield 

 have so far been comrputed for twenty-two species. In addition to the 

 computation of field measurements, the section now puts into final_ 

 form all results which require computation obtained b}' the Bureau. 

 These included during the past year, in addition to miscellaneous 

 results, the data obtained in timber tests and iv studies of the best 

 methods for the preservation of commercial timbers. In spite of a 

 decrease in its force, the section of Forest Computation handled notably 

 more data in the j'ear 1904 than in 1903. 



Forest Maps. 



To the section of Forest Maps is intrusted the making of maps, 

 drawings, and diagrams, the custody of such as are not required for 

 constant use, and the development of the best methods of mapping 

 forest data collected by the Bureau. During the past fiscal year this 

 section has completed approximately 2.50 maps and copies and 300 mis- 

 cellaneous drawings. These have included the preparation of maps 

 for working plans and planting plans, maps illustrative of the condi- 

 tions inffuencing forest extension, and maps recording general land 

 and forest conditions. Among the subjects illustrated by drawings 

 and diagrams were timber-testing and wood-preserving apparatus, 

 methods in tree planting and in forest management, and exhibits of 

 the Bureau at the St. Louis Exposition. This work was supplemented 

 by the plotting of valuation survey lines and forest surveys generally, 



15236—05 2 



