AN AMERICAN SYSTEM OF FORESTRY. 11 
in which the work of forestry proved a complete success, but also how 
the first year’s lumbering was in certain respects unsatisfactory. (P1. II.) 
At the writing of this report the second year’s work has already been 
begun under the most favorable circumstances and with every indica- 
tion that the lumbering will be carried on to the entire satisfaction of 
the owners and of the Forester of the Department of Agriculture. 
Tn the first part of the report the problem of forestry in the Adiron- 
dacks is discussed in detail, with special reference to the two private 
preserves under consideration. There follows, then, a description of 
these tracts and of the forest growing on them, and a special study of 
the habits, growth, and production of the Spruce, with brief mention 
of the associated species. In connection with the special working plan 
for the preserves, given in the latter part of the report, the loss ocea- 
sioned by ordinary lumbering is discussed in detail, to show the 
advantage of conservative methods. 
The majority of the tables in the report and a portion of the descrip- 
tive matter, dealing with the sylvicultural character, growth, and pro- 
duction of the Spruce, have been largely taken from “The Adirondack 
Spruce,” with the author’s permission. ‘This book contains the results 
of a study of the Spruce, together with a working plan for Nehasane 
Park, made in 1897 in cooperation with Dr. W. S. Webb, the owner of 
the land. The work of collecting the data in the field for the above- 
mentioned study was carried on under the supervision of the writer. 
The portions of the report compiled from “ The Adirondack Spruce” 
are as follows: ‘‘Nehasane Park,” page 21; ‘‘Special consideration of 
the Spruce,” page 32; ‘‘ Birch,” ‘ Beech,” ‘‘ Hard Maple,” ‘ Hemlock,” 
‘Balsam, ” “‘Soft Maple,” pages 51 to 53; ‘The growth of Spruce,” page 
39; ‘ Yield tables,” page 46; ‘‘Application of the yield tables,” page 48, 
and ‘Volume tabies,” page 78. All of the tables in the report have 
been quoted except those found on pages 33, 47, 48, 58, and 60. 
AN AMERICAN SYSTEM OF FORESTRY. 
During the past few years a widespread. interest in forest problems 
has been aroused throughout the United States. This is indicated by 
the establishment of new forest reserves in the West, the formation of 
forest associations, the enactment of vigorous laws in a number of 
the States, the efforts of private individuals toward Federal and State 
- legislation, and the favorable attitude of the press. Yet, in spite of 
this interest, there still remains a strong impression among very many 
business men that methods of forestry can be used only by the State 
or by wealthy landowners, to whom the preservation of the forest 
is the first and the money return is a secondary consideration. The 
existence of this feeling is proved by the fact that until the past year 
there have been practically no experiments in systematic forest man- 
agement on a large scale except by a few wealthy men. This is partly 
