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DECEMBER, 1916 
EDITORIAL 
VOL. XXVI No. 10 
Civic Improvement By Social Surveys 
Since the days of hectic “muck-raking” the social surveyor 
has pointed the way to a saner and better method of meas- 
uring and improving conditions, of life in city and country. 
Just what a social survey is. how it is brought about, and 
what ought to follow — and what does follow — are stated in a 
newly published pamphlet on the subject. It is entitled 
“Community Action Through Surveys,” and was prepared by 
Shelby M. Harrison, of the Department of Surveys and E.x- 
hibits, Russell Sage Foundation, of New York. The pamphlet 
presents a list of the specific developments following the 
publication of the findings and recommendations of surveys 
made in Pittsburgh, Newburgh, Topeka and Springfield. From 
Springfield, 111., alone comes a list of forty-one items of civic 
and social advance following the survey, although the pam- 
phlet points out that credit for the actual achievement should 
at least be divided with many local organizations. The social 
or community survey is described as an important "means 
to better democracy." The survey is shown to serve this end 
by ‘ informing the community upon community matters, and 
thereby providing a basis for intelligent public opinion. It 
is a school whose teaching is not confined to children and 
youth, but which aims to get its facts and message, expressed 
in the simple terms of household experience, before the whole 
•people. It utilizes as many channels of education as possible.” 
One of the most useful works of the Social Survey has been 
in stimulating the development of public parks and play- 
grounds and every park official should be interested in this 
work, explaining what the social survey is and how it has 
worked for good in c\'ery aspect of city development. 
Fighting White Pine Blister Rust 
The spread of the White Pine Blister Rust in Massachusetts 
and other eastern states has brought up several interesting 
questions b}- parties who have planned to plant pine, and by 
those who already have considerable capital invested in pine 
plantations. The Massachusetts Forestry .Association has 
issued a bulletin to answer some of these questions, which 
are summarized as follows: 
Are we going to lose the white pine as a commercial species? 
Is there any way by w'liich we can continue to plant white 
pine with any reasonable assurance of harvesting a crop? 
\\'hat can we do to protect the young pines which w'e have 
recently planted? 
Is there not a danger of alarming the people so that they 
will discontinue to practice forestry? 
There are plenty of examples of both plants and animals 
that have become extinct. Rut a plant may become of doubt- 
ful value as a crop long before it approaches complete extinc- 
tion. No one believes that the chestnut is dor)nied to extinc- 
tion because of the chestnut blight, but none are planting it 
with a money prolit as the object to be attained. The same 
may become true of the white pine, but we do not know 
enough about the White Line Blister Rust to assume as yet 
that this will be so. One thing is certain; we shall not give 
up the white pine without a desperate struggle. I'rom what 
we know of the Blister Rust, our chances of success in such a 
fight are far superior to the chances we had with the chestnut 
blight. What the ultimate effect of the disease will be on tbe 
pines cannot be definitely determined fi')r three or four years 
at the least, thcreff)re it is desirable to find some means by 
which' the prospective planter can plant white pines now with 
the minimum risk of financial loss. 
In an effort to lind this means the Forestry .Association has 
turned to the experts in silviculture. .A lew of the best 
foresters in the country, among them authorities on silvicul- 
ture, have been consulted, anfl here is a plan in which they are 
all in agreement: Since to secure the best results any planta- 
tion must be thinnefl. about fifteen to twenty years after 
planting, the proposition is to plant white jiines and red pines 
in eqtial numbers, alternating them in tbe rows or planting 
them in alternate rows. When the tliinning jieriod arrives, if 
the white pines arc infected with the rust, they should be 
taken out and the red ynnes allowed to reach maturity. On 
the other hand, if at that time the white pines are free from 
the disease, the less valuable red pines can be removed and a 
crop of the white pines grown. 
It will cost little or nothing more to do the planting in this 
manner and the difference in the cost of red and white pine 
transplants will be inappreciable. Tbe planter will lose no 
time, or money, by this method, liecause the red pines that 
are cut out will have served the same purpose silviculturally 
as white pines would have served in their places. But, if the 
Blister Rust in the meantime proves so destructive that the 
growing of white pines is found to be impracticable, the 
planter has lost nothing and his crop of red pines will give 
him a profit. .As a matter of fact, long before the fifteen years 
have expired, we shall know definitely whether we ^'an control 
the Rust and what the grower of white pine can or must do 
to produce his crop. Tbe red pine is a rapid grower. It will 
thrive on the poorest soils. The wood though less valualdv 
can be used as a substitute for white pine in many way-s. It 
has no dangerous enemy that we know about at present and 
is not attacked by the Blister Rust. In the early years its 
growth on medium soils is about the same as the white pine. 
It is very intolerant of shade, however, and must not be used 
for underi)lanting. Because of this fact, the plan outlined 
should be adopted for open planting only. \\ bile the Massa- 
chusetts I'orestry .Association believes that tbe planting of 
white pines in pure sttmds should be temporarily discontinued 
it does .advocate the planting of white pines for the present 
under the system just outlined. It may be dillicult for a few 
years to obtain tlu' red ])ine tr;ins])lants in large numbers, 
but our nurserymen will sofin rise tf) the occasion and jiro- 
duce them. 'I'he association says: "The white pine must be 
savcfl as a commerci.al tree even at tremendous expense. W’e 
should handle this jiroblem in a vigorous manner from the 
start. It is poor economy to trillc with any matter which 
endangers a valuable natur.al resource such as the white pine. 
The pcfiple in the interest of public economy should demand 
that this disease be combatted in an energetic fashion, and 
tliat the money for this luirpose be furnished unstintingly. 
R.'idical measures should be employed from the beginning, 
:md our I .egisl.at ure should clothe the olficers ebarged with 
the er.adicaf ion of this dise.ase w ith . sullicient authority to 
render their work effective." 
