The early research efforts 

 of the Forest Service were 

 aimed primarily at improving 

 conditions on privately 

 owned forest lands. Al- 

 though Federal and State 

 lands were of limited signifi- 

 cance in the South, initial 

 research was, nevertheless, 

 closely linked to the adminis- 

 trative arm of the Forest 

 Service. In 1 91 5, the Service 

 established separate status 

 for research, centered in a 

 new branch of research, 

 with field stations reporting 

 directly to the head of 

 research in Washington. 

 But policy and scientific 

 differences between admin- 

 istrations and researchers 

 continued for some time in 

 the case of fire management 

 (Schiff 1962). 



The initial program of 

 research at the Southern 

 Station was ambitious for a 

 small staff. One of the key 

 assignments involved stud- 

 ies of growth and yield in 

 second-growth stands of 

 the four major southern 

 pines, conducted under the 

 technical guidance of Don- 

 ald Bruce in the Washington 

 Office. This work led to 

 Miscellaneous Publication 

 50, containing "normal" 

 yield tables for unmanaged 



pine stands (U.S. Forest 

 Service 1929). Although 

 these yield tables were 

 modified by later studies, 

 this publication undoubtedly 

 contributed greatly to wider 

 understanding of southern 

 pine growth potentials and 

 forestry opportunities. 



Early studies of harvesting 

 and reproduction of longleaf 

 pine were begun in 

 Louisiana under E.W. 

 Hadley. At McNeill, MS, 

 studies by W.G. Wahlenberg 

 and coworkers determined 

 the interacting influence of 

 cattle grazing and fire on 

 tree regeneration and forage 

 for livestock. At Starke, FL, 

 empirical studies by Lenthal 

 Wyman searched for better 

 methods of producing naval 

 stores. Research on effects 

 of thinning in even-aged 

 stands of loblolly and 

 shortleaf pine was started 

 at Urania, LA under W.R. 

 Hine. General studies of 

 "forestation" and fire impacts 

 by Phil Wakeley were also 

 included in the Station 

 program. The Experiment 

 Station at Asheville was 

 largely concerned with 

 studies of mountain hard- 

 woods, but LI. Barrett and 

 F.I. Righter conducted some 

 thinning studies in loblolly 



