1A 
Since 50 per cent of the total area, and with it nearly all the true for- 
est soils, are still in the possession of lumbermen, who would be more 
willing than speculators to dispose of this property to the State for 
future forestry purposes—men who undoubtedly have broad-minded 
views, and would gladly aid in any enterprise which not only advances 
the interests of their own business but of the community at large—it 
would appear most timely for the State to act at once and profit by this 
opportunity for possessing itself of these lands. 
METHODS OF OBTAINING FORESTRY STATISTICS. 
It will have become clear from these statements regarding the nature 
of the information needed that it can not be ascertained by the methods 
of a mere enumerator or census taker; nay, even a statistician without 
special technical training could neither ascertain nor compile the infor- 
mation satisfactorily. It requires the employment of an unusually well- 
fitted expert who is not only thoroughly familiar with forest botany and 
forest growth in all its stages of development, and its value, with tim- 
ber estimating, and with the requirements and general features of the 
lumber and woodworking industries and of the market, but who has a 
capacity for quickly grasping facts in their relation to the problems of 
forest policy and forest technique, who possesses a broad view of all 
the problems and conditions entering into consideration, and can give 
them proper value and proportionate attention. 
Forest statistics even more than other statistics must remain largely 
estimates, partly because, even if exact knowledge were attainable, 
practical considerations would not permit the expenditure for such an 
attempt, partly because many of the most important facts which serve 
to give a clear picture of the condition of this resource are not capable 
of numerical expression, or because such numerical data must at least 
be accompanied by a descriptive explanation of their meaning, such as 
only an expert can give. 
Forest crops being most nearly comparable to agricultural crops, we 
may compare the gathering of forestry statistics to that of agricultural 
statistics, and in such comparison exhibit the difference of method. 
The first question that arises is regarding the acreage. The farmer 
having expended work on the preparation of his soil can usually very 
accurately tell the acreage, and an enumerator may readily obtain the 
information. With forest lands the acreage is much more a matter of 
estimate. Asa rule, situated as are the forest counties of Wisconsin, 
and in a country as little developed, the total land area of a county, 
minus the farm area and the water area may be set down as forest land; 
i. e., forest and waste land. 
This information as to the area, however, remains meaningless until a 
further classification as to the character of the land is made, from which 
it would appear whether the soil is fit for agricultural use, and hence 
should not be permanently devoted to forest growth or whether it is 
