Omaha daily bee., 1908-09-20
EXPERIMENTS ON FORESTRY
Government Plans to Establish Them
in Several States.
SOME ALREADY IN OPERATION
Special study of the AdaptRbility of
various Trees in Different Sec
lions in order TO start
ON Right Basis.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 19.-Forest expert
ment stations will soon be established IN
a number Of the national forest states Of
the west according TO plans which have
Just been completed by the United States
forest service. These new stations are ex-
pected to do some for the new develop
ment OF Amrican forests as agricultural
experiment stations have done for the i'm
provement Of the country's farms.
As a first step I'm this work an expert
ment station has already been established
on the Coconino National forest in the
southwest, with headquarters at Flagstaff.
Ariz. Stations in other national forests
will be established later. and it is the in
tention ultimately to have at least one ex-
pertinent station in each OF the silvicul-
tural regions Of the west.
One Of the most important parts OF the
work OF the new experiment stations will
be the maintenance Of model forests typical
OF the region. These areas will furnish the
most valuable and Instructive object les
sons for the public in general, for profess
sional foresters, lumbermen and owners Of
forest land, and especially to the technical
and administrative officers Of the national
forests.
In the recently established stations on
~ bANo blt VI Nit
first problems to be taken up will he the
study of the reproduction of western yellow
pine and the causes Of its success and
failure. A solution OF this problem of how
to obtain satisfactory reproduction of the
yellow pine is Of the greatest practical
Importance 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 observation 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 repro
duction.
The studies which will be taken I'D soon
arc a study of the light requirements of
different species at different attitudes and
the construction of a scale Of tolerance
which will be based on the actual measure
lhents OF the light intensity, and not only.
as has hitherto been the case, on general
observations alone; the taking of meteor
illogical observations to determine the eff
feet of the forest upon temperature, hui
nudity, melting of snow, wind velocity.
etc; a study of the relative value OF the
terminating power of seeds from trees of
different sizes. ages, and degrees of health.
and similar studies OF value to the region.
A complete collection Of the flora Of the
forest will be made to form a herbanium.
which will be kept on the forest and will be
available for reference at any time.
American si%lvIcuIture.
These stations will carry on scientific
experiments and studies which will lead
to a full and exact knowledge of Ameri-
can silviculture, and the indirect bene-
fits OF the forests and will deal par
ticularly with those problems of par
ticular Importance to the regions in
which they are located.
While work of this character Is new
in this country, it is not without prece-
dent abroad. The value OF the systematic
organization of forest research work was
officially recognized in Germany in 1870.
when the first forest experiment station
was established in Baden in connection
with the Polytechnikum at Carlsruhc.
Half a dozen of the German states fol-
lowed the example, instituting main OK
pertinent stations In connection with for
est schools and branches in various for
est districts. The work done is in
tensely scientific, and the policy Of for
est experiment stations is steadily grow
ing i'm 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 neglected, and the result
is apparent in the poor progress of tech
meal forestry. Very lately, however, the
need has been recognized by the govern
ment and an imperial forest research
institute and college has been created at
Dehra Dun, with "A faculty chosen from
the imperial forest service.
In the United States considerable re-
search work has already been done i'm con-
nection with forest problems, but the
chief trouble so far has been the lack
or persistence and permanence which has
characterized the work. and failure fire.
quently to consider all the factors which
are involved. The new system provides
for the permanent assignment in a given
region of specially trained men who Will
have an opportunity to become thoroughly
familiar with their region and the work
will thus be conducted with the greatest
effectiveness and least expense.
TIL work Will be not only scientific
in character, but will also be extremely
practical and will aim in every case to
solve problems Of most Importance to
the lumberman, the forester and the peo-
pie as a whole. Valuable results will
undoubtedly be obtained in this way
which were not possible under the old
system of general observations.
HEIR tn a GREAT FnRTIINE