INTRODUCTION. 
OBJECTS AND METHODS OF ASCERTAINING FOREST CONDITIONS AND 
RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING FORESTRY INTERESTS IN WIS- 
CONSIN. 
In the early part of 1897 the legislature of Wisconsin passed an act 
for the appointment of a commission to formulate desirable forestry 
legislation for the State. The commission, appointed by the governor, 
called upon the writer for advice and assistance, and at a meeting held 
in Milwaukee early in July the writer contended that rational proposi- 
tions could be framed only upon a thorough knowledge of the actual 
forest conditions and forestry interests of the State, which would require 
amore or less exhaustive reconnaissance in the field. Since the com- 
mission had no funds at its disposal, the writer offered the cooperation 
of the Department of Agriculture, as authorized by the Secretary, in 
detailing a competent expert for the work of making the survey and 
report. The State geological survey, having a ciause in its appropria- 
tion which calls for reports on the economic resources of the State, was 
appealed to for cooperation, and kindly consented to place $500 at the 
disposal of the expert to defray traveling expenses. At the same time 
the officers of the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul, the Northwestern, 
and the Wisconsin Central Railroad companies kindly consented to 
supply the expert with passes, and also to furnish information regard- 
ing the lands belonging to their roads, and the secretary of state offered 
such assistance as the records of his office might afford. 
It was under such conditions that Mr. Filibert Roth was detailed to 
undertake the work, which he has performed within the short space of 
three months in the most satisfactory manner. If the report should 
seem to be deficient in detail, an explanation may be found in the small 
allowance of time and funds, which should have been twice as large; 
for the purpose in hand, however, it is believed the information as pre- 
vented is entirely sufficient. 
The interest of the Department and the Division of Forestry in 
undertaking this work for the State forestry commission and the 
State geological survey was twofold: Not only was it desirable to 
have definite and authoritative knowledge regarding the forest con- 
ditions of at least one of the most important regions of lumber pro- 
duction, but a good opportunity presented itself thereby to show what 
kind of information should be had and how it should and could be 
most satisfactorily ascertained. 
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