Gilpin observer., 1901-08-08
FARMING MATTER.
Tho Bureau of Forestrv.


the last session of Congress, which ap-
propriated for the expenses of the bu-
reau of forestry during it's first year
$1S5,44O. The appropriation for the
division of forestry during the year just
ended for SSS,52O. For the year 1885,
30 1t was S2S,520.
These figures show how rapidly the
forest work of the government has eX-
panded of late, and also how well 1t
has commended itself to Congress.
There was n time when the practical
value of the scientific investigations
carried on by the government was not
fully understood, and farmers were in
clined to think that money spent on
experiment stations and chemical Ia
boratories was of little benefit to
them. Now the case is very different.
The improvement in agriculture due to
the work of the department have in
creased the value of the farm prod
ucts of the country by many millions
of dollars annually. AS this kind of
work has proved its practical utility,
Congress has shown itself generous
toward it. The readiness with which
Congress has increased the appropria-
tions for the division of forestry is the
best evidence that forestry has proved
its Importance from q business stand
point.
The change from n division to bu-
reau and the larger appropriation will
make possible both an improved office
organization and more extended field
work. The bureau will be provided
with a much larger office force and will
be organized in three divisions. But
field work, not office work, is what
the bureau exists for. This work has
been going on during the last year
from Maine to California and from
Georgia to Washington. 1t includes
the study of forest conditions and for
est problems all over the country, the
giving of advice to owners of forest
lands, and the supervising of conserva-
tive numbering operations which illus
trate forest management on business
principles. This work can now be
greatly extended. Private owners of
some 100000 acres have applied for
this advice, which in every case re-
quires personal examination, and
about $4,000 acres have been put un-
der management. This land is in
many tracts, large and small, and is
owned by individuals, clubs and cor
porations. Several state governments
have also asked the aid of the bureau.
But the greatest demand of the De-
partment of the Interior of the nation
al government, which has asked for
working plans for all the forest re-
serves, with the enormous total area
of about 47,OOO,OOO acres.
The bureau of forestry is made up of
the division of forest management, the
division of forest investigation, and
the division of records.
The division of forest management is
in charge of Mr.. Overton w. Price, the
former superintendent of working
plans. When the owner private or
public of woodland wishes to consider
the possibilities of his property If
handled as n constant source of timber
supply, the tract must be examined by
an expert to ascertain the condition of
the standing timber, the prospects of
reproduction, the facilities for market
ing, the best method of harvesting the
present crop so as to secure the largest
present and future yield, and the like
lihood of success under management
a preliminary report is then made. If
the owner decides on management,
working plan follows. This involves
careful study of the rate of growth of
the different kinds OF marketable tim
ber, the computation of the proper in
terval between cutting and of the
amount of timber to be harvested, and,
If desired, the recommendation of the
necessary regulations to enable the
work to 90 on under contract. All this
falls to the division of forest manage
ment.
The division of forest Investigation,
under the charge of Mr.. George II.
Sudworth, makes studies of trees-of
their rates of growth, distribution, re-
production and habits-and investi-
gates all the forest problems connected
with fires, numbering, grazing, tree
planting. stream flowing and erosion.
81. toe . III. TT
is Mr.. Otto ]. j. Huebkcrt. 1t takes
charge of all offices and routine mat
ters, and also has custody of the IL
brary of literature bearing ON forestry,
and of n unique collection of photo
graphs, which is continually being
added to, illustrating forest conditions
all over the United States.
The result of the work of the divis-
ion has been to turn practical forestry
In the United States from II doubtful
experiment into an assured success.
Special studies of some OF the most i'm
portant trees commercially, have been
made, from which can be calculated
their probable future yield Cheap
methods of harvesting the present lum-
Der crop without injuring the produc-
tivity of the forest have been put in
operation. Such concerns as the
Great Northern Paper Company and
the Decring Harvester Company have
been led TO undertake conservative
management of their forest properties.
Meanwhile the work of tree planting,
particularly in the almost treelcss
western states of the plains, has been
furthered; the relation of the forest to
the volume of streams, erosion. evapor-
alton, and irrigation have been
studied: matters connected with irrl-
CATION and water supply have been in
vestigItcd: hopeful progress has been
made In the direction of regulating
grazing in western reserves In man.
ner fair both to important interests of
cattle and sheep owners and to those