The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-04-20
FOREST WEALTH
OF THE STATES
1t May Be Known Through
Cooperation With For
$3.50 estry Bureau.

:: WASHINGTON, D. c., April 19.--.
That excellent idea which Maryland
has adopted Of securing expert help
through cooperation with the bureau
Of forestry in making detailed studies
OF its forests, county by county; is one
that is equally available to all the
states and about equally advantageous
to them. The Maryland Geological
Survey has recently been taking an in
Ventory Of its forest wealth, finding
out how much there is of it, the condi-
ton 1t is in, what benefit it is to the
state, including it's effects on stream
flow and on agriculture, how much
damage has been done it and how such
damage may be lessened. I5The for
ests of Allegany, Cecil, Garrett, Cal
vert and Hartford counties have already
been thoroughly studied by experts of
the bureau of forestry, and reports for
the first three have been published by
the state. 5Ay
The work suggests the very. great
| advantages of similar cooperation
/ between other states and the bureau
of forestry, although the examinations
need not always be as detained as in
the case of Maryland. The matter is
extremely simple and may be easily ar
ranged, and the results are valuable
out of all proportion to the cost of such
work to the states The bureau fur
Ilt6HSS anu pays the salaries Oh the
experts who make the examination,
when the state has guaranteed their
field expenses. The reports of the
bureaus experts become the property
of the state, provided. they are credited
when published, to the bureau.
For long time the bureau of for
estry has been urging state -inVestiga-
lions of forest lands, because the re-
suits of such Investigations are as val
liable to the bureau as to the states
themselves. Inquiries are constantly
received from lumbermen and others
regarding the forest resources Of diff
ferent states which the bureau is un-
able to answer fully, because often no
accurate studies of the regions have
I been made. Besides, every bit Of reiia-
BILE information concerning the forests
of the different states and territories is
welcomed as contributing to the sum
of knowledge of the forest resources Of
I the, whole country on which the bureau
must base its general forest policy.
States like New York, Massachu-
sets, New Hampshire, Connecticut,
Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Michigan and
Wisconsin, which are working out for
themselves some sort of forest policy,
/ find it absolutely essential to take stock
of their timber lands. Michigan has
begun such an examination; through
cooperation between the state forest
commission, the university authorities
and the bureau Of forestry. study
already made of $4,000 acres of forest
preserve lands in Northern Michigan
by 7. H. Sherrard, of the bureau of
forestry, resulted in recommendations
for fire protection experiments and for
tree planting, which have been submit
ted to the state legislature California
has appropriated $4,000 for an exam
ination of the forests of the state. A
report on the forests of Texas has been
prepared under direction of the bureau
of forestry and will probably form
when published the basis of forest leg
iSlatiOn in the state. Several years
ago the forests of the northern part of
Wisconsin were examined by Hilbert
Roth, of the bureau, and his report
was published by the bureau and by
the state. Prof. ]. G. Jack, of the
bureau. two years ago, made an exam
1nation of the forests of Vermont and
the work was continued more recently
by Prof. G.. D. Howe Virginia may
ask the bureau Efor help in mapping
and studying the forests of the state
and Missouri has expressed interest In
an examination Of the forests of sew
eral counties.
Recommendation for forest pre-
serves before going before the legisla-
ture must be supported by reliable stu
dies of the forest growth on the areas
which it is proposed shall be reserved
New Hampshire, alarmed by the heavy
cutting in the White mountains, has
appropriated $1,000 for an examination
of that region blythe bureau of forestry