CHARACTER OF THE WORK OF THE DIVISION. 13 



word was absent from our dictionaries. While tiie necessity for its application for the reasons 

 stated was believed to exist, its methods were absolutely unknown. Xot only was it not practiced 

 anywliere in this country, but where such an art was known to exist, its requirements being 

 misunderstood, forest owners were unwilling to apply it, believing it unnecessary and unprofitable. 



To enlighten these skeptics as to the methods of rational forest management and as to its 

 desirability was to be the office of the Division of Forestry, The Division, then, was to be a bureau 

 of information and investigation to report on all questions pertaining to the subject with a view 

 of enlightening the people and inducing them to apply the teachings of forestry. 



It was by statute limited in its functions, which were to be educational, not administrative or 

 executive. Moreover, for most of the time, the appropriations were too scanty to permit of any 

 very comprehensive inquiries or experiments. 



The character of its functions is perhaps best learned from the wording of the acts, changing 

 from time to time, in which Congress made appropriations for the Division. 



READING OF APPROPRIATION CLAUSES FOR REPORTS ON FORESTRY AND DIVISION OF FORESTRY. 



1877. — For purchase and distribution of new and valuable seeds and plants, sixty thousand dollars: Provided, 

 That two thousand dollars of the above amount shall be expended by the Commissioner of Agriculture as com- 

 pensation to some man of approved attainments, who is practically well acquainted with methods of statistical 

 inquiry and who has evinced an intimate acquaintance with questions relating to the national wants in regard to 

 timber, to prosecute investigations and inquiries with the view of ascertaining the annual amount of consumption, 

 importation, and exportation of timber and other forest products, the probable supply for future wants, the means 

 best adapted to their preservation and renewal, the influence of forests upon climate, and the measures that have 

 been successfully applied in foreign countries or that may be deemed applicable iu this country for the preservation 

 and restoration or planting of forests ; and to report upon the same to the Commissioner of Agriculture, to be by 

 him in a separate report transmitted to Congress. For expense of putting up the same, for labor, bagging paper, 

 twine, gum, and other necessary materials, live thousand dollars; in all, sixty-live thousand dollars. — (From legisla- 

 tive, executive, and judicial appropriation bill for fiscal year ending June 30, 1877, approved August 15, 1876. Third 

 paragraph of section making appropriation for Department of Agriculture. First session, Forty-fourth Congress.) 



18S7. — For compensation of chief of Forestry Division, two thousand dollars; for the purpose of enabling the 

 Commissioner of Agriculture to experiment and to continue an investigation and report upon the subject of forestry, 

 and the collection and distribution of valuable economic forest- tree seeds and plants, eight thousand dollars ; in all, 

 ten thousand dollars. — (Act making appropriation for Department of Agriculture for the fiscal year ending June 30, 

 1887, and for other purposes, approved June SO, 1886.) 



1890. Division of Forestry. — For the purpose of enabling the Secretary of Agriculture to experiment and continue 

 an investigation and report upon the subject of forestry, and for traveling and other necessary expenses in the 

 investigation and the collection and distribution of valuable economic forest-tree seeds and plants. 



1891. Report on Forestry. — Division of Forestry : For the purpose of enabling the Secretary of Agriculture to 

 experiment and continue an investigation and report upon the subject of forestry and for experiments in the pro- 

 duction of rainfall, and for traveling and other necessary expenses in the investigation and the collection and dis- 

 tribution of valuable economic forest-tree seeds and plants. 



1893. Division of Forestry. — For the purpose of enabling the Secretary of Agriculture to experiment and continue 

 an investigation and report upon the subject of forestry, and for traveling and other necessary expenses in the 

 investigation and the collection of valuable economic forest-tree seeds and plants. 



1895. Division of Forestry. — For the purpose of enabling the Secretary of Agriculture to experiment and continue 

 an investigation and report upon the subject of forestry and timbers, and for traveling and other necessary expenses 

 in the investigation and the collection and distribution of valuable economic forest-tree seeds and plants. 



189S. Division of Forestry. — For the purpose of enabling the Secretary of Agriculture to experiment and continue 

 an investigation and report upon the subject of forestry and timbers, and for traveling and other necessary expenses 

 in the investigation and collection and distribution of valuable economic forest-tree seeds and plants: Provided, 

 That the Secretary of Agriculture shall make a special and detailed report at the beginning of the next session of 

 Congress upon the forestry investigations and work of the Division of Forestry, showing the results and the 

 practical utility of the investigations. 



CHARACTER OF THE WORK OFJTHE DIVISION. 



Having come to the conclusion that a Division of Forestry without forests, i. e,, without con- 

 trol of forest property, even for experimental purposes, can act simply as a bureau of information 

 and advice, the following considerations naturally occur: The object of establishing such a bureau 

 was undoubtedly to influence a reform movement in the treatment of our forest resources, and 

 hence the information furnished should be of such a nature as to induce the owner of timber lands 

 and the consumer of forest products to change their ways. Undoubtedly the Government also 



