The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1905-12-06
GROWTH OF FORESTRY.
Historical Sketch from Wilson's Report
on the Forest Service.

The annual report of the secretary Of
agriculture, just published, presents a
striking resume Of the growth Of for
estry in the past seven years, and Of the
part in this growth which has been
taken by the forest service.
During the past year. writes the
secretary, @the government work in for
estry entered upon new phase. Prae-
tical work in the actual introduction Of
forestry began in 1898. But it was not
until February ], 1905, when the care
OF the national forest reserves was trans
ferred to the department of agriculture,
that the forest service became an admin.
istratiye organization.
This transfer was logical outcome
Of the recent work OF the service. Dur
ing the last six or seven years it has
passed through remarkable develop
meft, which has followed but not kept
pace with its demonstration OF capacity
for public usefulness. On July l, 1898,
the division of forestry employed eleven
persons. OF whom six filled clerical or
other subordinate positions and five be-
Ionged to the scientific staff. OF the
latter, two were professional foresters.
The division possessed no field equip
ment; practically all Of its work was
Office work.
AT the opening Of the present fiscal
year the employees of the forest service
numbered sci, Of whom 1873 were pro-
fessional trained foresters. Field work
was going on in % states and territor-
les, from the Atlantic to the Pacific
and from Canada to Mexico. Over 900,-
900 acres of private forests were under
management recommended by the SER
vice, and applications on file for advice
from owners contemplating management
covered 100000 acres more. During
the year nearly $4,000 letters were sent
out from the Offices at Washington, the
majority Of them in reply to requests
for information and advice from the pub
lie, of d kind which could not be met by
printed information.
This contrast imperfectly indicates
the full extent of the change which has
taken place and the progress which has
been made. Seven years ago there were
in the whole United States less than ten
professional foresters. Neither science
nor a literature OF American forestry
was in existence, nor could an education
in the subject be obtained in this eoun-
try Systematic forestry was in opera
tion on the estate of single owner, HON
orably DESTROYS Of furnishing an object
lesson IN an unknown field. Lumber
men and forest owners were sleptical
OF the success of forest management,
and largely hostile to Is introduction.
Among the public at large feeling in
favor of forest preservation, largely on
sentimental grounds, was fairly wide
spread, but almost wholly misinformed.
1t confounded use with destruction.
shade-tree planting with forestry.
1.-THE real need of forestry was urgent.
A time had come which presented at
once a great opportunity and dangerous
crisis. Forest destruction had reached
a point where sagacious men--inost of
all sagaeious luinbermen--cou plainly
discern the not distant end. The lumber
industry, vital to the nation at large,
was rushing to its own extinction, vet
with no avenue of escape apparent, until
forest management for future crops
should be forced by famine prices.
however, the ruin would
have been wrought already.
Cumberland owners were selling their
holding or their stilmpage with little
evidence Of an understanding OF their
future value, and hlmbermen were CONF
PEELED by business competition to keep
down the cost of operation to the low
est terms, or market their product at
loss
Forestry was both an evident econ
omic need and an apparent economic
Few well-informed per-
sons believed that the obstacles to its
could be overcome sufi-
GENTLY to bring it into common practice
among private owners during the lives
Of the present generation.
~That the whole situation is pro-
altered is directly and chiefly