180 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. 



collection of useful, convenient, and ornamental articles, for the supply 

 of which we are indebted to our forests. These have been sent to New 

 Orleans, and it is proposed, when the Exposition there is closed, to 

 bring the collection back to Washington and place it on permanent ex- 

 hibition in the Annex of the Department as a practical illustration of 

 the value of our forests and the importance of the work of forestry. 



Several charts or graphic maps have also been constructed by the 

 Bureau for the New Orleans Exposition, for the purpose of showing at 

 a glance the relative amount of forests in the several States and the 

 diminished area of forests from one decade to another. 



FORESTRY EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



In concluding the report of the work of the year I renew the expression 

 of opinion that the establishment of Forestry Experiment Stations by the 

 Government, alone or in connection with the several States through their 

 agricultural colleges, is very desirable and ought not longer to be delayed. 

 Such stations are greatly needed. They are needed, among other things, 

 for the purpose of testing the best methods of planting and cultivating 

 trees, to ascertain the adaptation of trees to different soils and expos- 

 ures, to decide some questions in regard to the influence of trees upon 

 the atmosphere in their vicinity, to investigate the history and habits 

 of insects which are injurious to trees and the means of checking their 

 ravages. There are a great many questions in regard to the growth 

 and management of trees, arising from time to time, which for their sat- 

 isfactory investigation require some such agency as an Experiment 

 Station, where scientific and patient observation can be secured under 

 the most advantageous circumstances and without disturbance or in- 

 terruption. Such experiment stations might well be established in 

 each of our States. In every point of view they would be advantageous. 

 It might be desirable, perhaps, for the General Government to co-oper- 

 ate with the States by making appropriations which would in part meet 

 the expenses of such stations, and having in return a voice in their man- 

 agement. But it would seem that there should be one, if not more, of 

 such stations, which should be* under the control of the General Gov- 

 ernment alone, which should be managed in a broad and comprehensive 

 way and be restricted in its investigations by no local situation or con- 

 siderations. 



SCHOOLS OF FORESTRY. 



In my report of last year I gave such consideration to the subject of 

 Schools of Forestry and treated of them at such length that there seems 

 to be no occasion now to do more than express the opinion that the 

 time has come when we should lay the foundation of at least one such 

 school of instruction in forestry. 



Respectfullv submitted. 



N. H. EGLESTOX, 

 Chief of Bureau of Forestry, 



Hon. George B. Loring, 



Commissioner of Agriculture, 



