LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL 



F. S. Department of Agriculture, 



Division of Forestry, 

 Washington, D, C, June 24, 1898, 



Sir : I have the honor to transmit herewith for publication a brief 

 presentation of the methods by which measurements of felled and 

 standing trees and of whole forest growths are best performed, together 

 with a discussion of a method employed in ascertaining the rate of 

 growth of trees and forest crops, developed in the Division of Forestry, 

 by Mr. A. K. Mlodziausky. 



The publication of these (with exception of the last) more or less 

 elementary methods of procedure, selected from a large number of 

 methods that have been developed, seems justified at the present time, 

 as with the waning of forest supplies more accurate methods of meas- 

 uring the forest crop are indicated. Moreover, the entire business 

 arrangements of a well-conducted forest management are based upon 

 a knowledge of the amount of product which may be had or expected 

 from a given area. This knowledge can not be satisfactorily ascer- 

 tained by mere estimates; hence mathematical methods must be 

 employed. 



Especially is this true with regard to the rate of growth at which the 

 forest crop develops, for all financial calculations of the profitableness 

 of forest management presuppose this knowledge. The method devel- 

 oped by Mr. Mlodziansky in the work of the Division, with regard 

 to collecting and collating the data in ascertaining the rate of growth 

 of white pine and other species, the results of which are presently to be 

 published, will recommend itself for the rapidity with which a large 

 number of measurements can be coordinated and summarized. 

 Eespectfully, 



B. E. Fernow, Chief. 



Hon. James Wilson, 



Secretary of Agriculture. 



