Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1906-02-09
The Government Forestry Service
What II Stands for, and What Has Been
Accomplished in Seven Years.

accomplished In seven Years.
The seventh annual report of secre-
tary Wilson OF the department Of agri-
culture presents striking resume Of the
growth of forestry in the past seven
years, and OF the part In this growth
which has been taken by the forest SER
vice.
During the past year." whites the Sec
rotary, "the government work In forest
ry entered upon a new phase Practical
work in the actual introduction Of forest
ny began in 1898. But Il was not until
February 1, 1905, when the care OF the
national forest reserves was transferred
to the department OF agriculture, that
the forest service became an administra-
tive organization.
This transfer was a logical outcome
Of the recent work OF the service. Dur
Ing the last six or seven years It has
passed through a remarkable develop
ment, which has followed but not kept
pace with its demonstration Of capacity
for public usefulness. On July 1, 1898
the division of forestry employed II
persons, OF whom six filled clerical or
other subordinate positions and Ave be-
longed to the scientific stan. 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 S21, OF whom 1853 were pro-
fessional trained foresters. Field work
was going on in "a states and territories,
from the Atlantic to the Pacific and from
Canada to Mexico. over 100000 acres
of private forests were under manage
ment recommended by the service, and
applications on file for advice from own
ers 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 informa-
tion and advice from the public, OF a
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 a science
nor a literature Of American forestry was
in existence, nor could an education in
the subject be obtained in this country
Systematic forestry was in operation on
the estate OF a single owner, honorably
DESTROYS OF furnishing an object lesson
in an unknown field. Lumbermen and
forest owners were skeptical OF the sue
cess OF forest management, and largely
hostile to its introduction. Among the
public at large q feeling in favor OF forest
preservation. largely on sentimental
grounds, was fairly widespread. but
almost wholly misinforme6. 1t COMPOUNDED
use with destruction, shade-tree planting
with forestry.
1.-THE real need OF forestry was urgent
time had come which presented at
once a great opportunity and a dangerous
crisis. Forest destruction had reached
point where sagacious men-most OF
ell, sagacious lumbermen-could plainly
H. 49,
Industry. vital to the nation at large,
was rushing to its own extinction, yet
with no avenue Of escape apparent, until
forest management for future crops
should be forced by famine prices. Mean
while, however, the ruin would have been
wrought already.
'Timberland owners were selling their
holdings or their stumpage with little
evidence of an understanding of their
future value. and lumbermen were COM
PEELED by business competition to keep
down the cost Of operation to the lowest
terms, or market their product at a loss.
Forestry was both an evident economic
need and an apparent economic impossi-
bility Few well-informed persons be-
lieved that the obstacles to it's Introduction
could be overcome sufficiently to bring II
into common practice among private
owners during the lives OF the present
generation.
That the whole situation Is profoundly
altered is directly and chiefly due to the
work OF the forest service. With its offer
of practical assistance to forest owners
made In the fall Of 1898, its field Of action
shifted from the desk to the woods The
lumberman was met on his own ground
Uncertain speculations were converted
into business propositions. and untried
theories into practical rules. Actual
management for purely commercial ends
has been taken up and applied on their
own holdings by some OF the best known
lumbermen in the country. What lum-
bermen as a body now think OF forestry
is illustrated by the recent effective move
ment in their national association to en-
dow chair Of numbering at one OF the
forest schools.
Public opinion gene rally has ex-
perienced an equal change, and a sound
national sentiment has been created
The great and varied interests dependent
upon the forest have been awakened to
the urgent need of making provision for
the future. States have been led to enact
wise laws and enter upon a well consid-
cred forest policy.
Forestry is matter of immediate
interest to every household In the land
Forest destruction is no imaginary danger
of a distant future. II 1t is not speedily
checked its effects will sooner or later be
felt In every industry and every home
To make these facts known is a national
duty The work of education must con-
tinue until public opinion will not tolerate
needless waste or injudicious laws"