INTRODUCTORY NOTE. 
In 1897 the legislature of Wisconsin passed an act for the ap¬ 
pointment of a State Forestry Commission, charged, among other 
duties, with that of formulating desirable forestry legislation for 
the State. The Commission consists of Hon. G. B. Burrows, 
Madison; Ernst Bruncken, Milwaukee; and H. D. Putnam, Eau 
Claire. This Commission consulted with Dr. B. E. Eernow, 
Chief of the Division of Forestry, United States Department of 
Agriculture, who advised that a careful reconnaissance be made 
of the present condition of the forests of the State. The Depart¬ 
ment of Agriculture offered to send an expert to make such ex¬ 
amination, provided the expenses of the trip could be defrayed 
by the State. Since the Forestry Commission had no appropria¬ 
tion for this purpose, application was made to the Geological and 
Natural History Survey for an appropriation of money sufficient 
to defray the expenses of the proposed investigation, and the Sur¬ 
vey gladly acceded to the request. Pursuant to this action the 
Department of Agriculture appointed Mr. Eilibert Roth as spe¬ 
cial agent to make the reconnaissance desired, under the general 
direction of Dr. Femow, Chief of Division of Forestry. Mr. 
Roth spent three months in the field and prepared the accom¬ 
panying report. The report was first submitted to the Depart¬ 
ment of Agriculture at Washington, by which it has been pub¬ 
lished as a bulletin, and a copy was transmitted to the Director 
of the Geological Survey, with the accompanying letter from 
the Secretary of Agriculture. 
United States Department of Agriculture, 
Office of the Secretary, 
Washington, D. C., February 28, 1898. 
Dr. E. A. Birge, 
Director, State Geological Survey, 
Madison, Wis. 
Dear Sir:—I take pleasure in transmitting to you for such.use 
as you may desire to make of it, a report on the forest conditions 
