The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1908-10-08

the work of the new experiment sta
tons will be the maintenance of mo-
del forests typical of the region. These
areas will furnish the most valuable
I and instructive object lessons for the
public in general, for professional
foresters, lumbermen and owners OF
forest land and especially to the tech
nical and administrative officers of the
national forests.
In. the recently established station
on the Coconino national forest one
of the first problems to be taken up
will be the study OF the reproduction
OF western yellow pine and the causes
of it's success and failure A solution
Of this problem of how to obtain sat-
isfactory reproduction OF the yellow
pine is of the greatest practical i'm
portance to the southwest, since the
yellow pine, which is by far the most
valuable tree there, is in many cases
not forming a satisfactory second
growth. The study will be carried on
largely by means of sample plots,
which will be laid out for future OBJ
servation to determine the effects of
grazing, of the different methods OF
cutting and disposing of the brush,
and of other factors on the success of
reproduction.
Other studies which will be taken
up soon are study of the light re-
quirements of different species at diff
ferent attitudes and the construction
of scale Of tolerance which will be
based on the actual measurements OF
the light intensity and not only, as
has hitherto been the case, on general
observations alone, the taking Of me-
neurological observations to determine
the effect OF the forest upon tempera-
ture, humidity, melting of snow, wind
velocity, etc.; study OF the relative
value of the terminating power OF
seeds from trees of different sizes,
ages and degrees OF health; and SINH
lar studies of value to the region. A
complete collection at the fora of the
forest will be made to form herbar-
ium, which will be kept on the forest
and will be available for reference at
any time.
These stations will carry on scien-
tif1c experiments and studies which
will lead to a full and exact know
ledge of American silviculture, and
the indirect benefits of the forests and
will deal particularly with those prob
lens OF particular Importance to the
regions in which they are located.
While work OF this character Is new
in this country, it is not without pre-
cedent abroad The value OF the sys-
tematic organization of forest re-
search work was off1cially recognized
in Germany in 1870, when the first
forest experiment station was estab-
| lished in Baden, In connection with
the Polytechnikum at Carlsruhe. Hall
dozen Of the German states followed
the example, instituting experiment
| stations in connection with forest
schools, and branches in various for
est districts. The work done is In.
tensely scientific, and the policy OF
forest experiment stations is steadily
growing In favor.
In India, where after half a century
of administration the status OF the
forest is hardly better than in the
United States at present, the work Of
research has been almost wholly neg
lected, and the result Is apparent II
the poor progress Of technical for.
estry. Very lately, however, the need
has been recognized by the govern
ment, and an imperial forest research