Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-08-23
FORESTRY.

Tho Division Of Forestry Of the Depart
ment of Agriculture Will contribute 10 '"o
| 1899 wear book Of the department. shoi'
history of forestry in the United states
| and "also an account OF the efforts OF
private landowners TO apply the pi'"-
ciples OF forestry" The DIVISION recos-
pfzes that much more has been done III
this country In forestry WORK IMAM -
| generally supposed, for in circular IL
has Just sent out 1t says;
Though II cannot be held that any
considerable amount Of work has been
done under the supervision OF experts
trained IN technical forestry, there u.s.
nevertheless. abundant evidence TO snow
that owners of woodlands have frequent
~ employed conservative methods IN
handling their wood crops ana nave
otherwise shown the desire ana the ability
10 preserve the forest without ceasing 10
use Il, and that farmers in the treelesS
districts. and others have greatly I'M
proved the agricultural resources OF theH
lands by tree-planting.
The division also recognizes that where
ever private owners have made the effort
to utilize the merchantable timber OH
their woodland without injuring its pro-
ducive power, and TO establish liz"
forests. there has been the Intention oil
true forestry, and that while the me-
thods used may have been imperfect, they
have tended toward economic forest
management so far as their object was
the continued use Of the land for pro-
ducing forests Usually, adds the cir
cular. there are details in which these
methods could have been improved, yet
in many cases the systems Of the trained
forester would be but notifications OF
those already used by the lumberman
or the farmer. Furthermore, says the
circular. the tree planter is entitled TO
similar recognition, for whenever the
planter has chosen his trees with intel
ligence and so succeeded in producing a
useful plantation, there has been the real
spirit of forestry.
The division is anxious 10 embody in
it's contribution to the Year Book the eX-
perience of all who have been doirg
forestry work, both I'm the line Of tree
planting and economic timber cutting.
in order that 1t may utilize any sugges-
tons IL may receive ana make otherS.
TO that end it encloses in the circular a
printed card, the return of which re-
quires no stamp, and to the addressee
of the circular says:
in case you have done any work along
the lines Of forestry, you are earnestly
to indicate its nature by III
derscOring the appropriate words on the
card. to fill in your name and address on
the blank lines and promptly to mail the
reply to the division; the division Will
then mail you a list OF questions pre-
pared to assist you in making state
ment about the details of the work. II
you know Of any other men who have
practiced forestry, kindly send their
names and addresses
That forest preservation by both sys-
TENS conducive thereto-economic cutting
and replanting-s becoming a vital mat
ter all over the country. there Is no ques-
ton. 1t is a vital matter not only in
its bearing upon the lumber supply but
upon the prevention Of freshets in the
streams. 1t strikes US, therefore, that
the contribution promises to be an ex-
ceedingly valuable work. The scheme, If
carried out, cannot but stimulate The
true spirit of forestry.