A year later, another Forest school was opened at Yale University, an endowment of the Pinchots, father and sons. In 1903, the University of Michigan added a professional department of forestry, and then followed a real flood of educational enthusiasm, one institution after another seeing the necessity for adding the subject as an integral part to its courses. Before there were enough competent men in the field, some twenty colleges or universities called for teachers, besides private institutions. An inevitable result of this over-production of forest schools and of foresters all at once must be an overcrowding of the profession with mediocre men before the profession is really fully established.
Brief reference to the history of the first school, established by the State of New York, may be of interest, as exemplifying in a striking manner the political troubles besetting reforms under republican conditions. But for a similar occurrence in France (see [p. 242]), this case might be unique in the history of educational institutions. Although the school thrived almost beyond expectation, having in its fourth year attained in numbers to 70, larger than any French or German forest school at the time, and readily finding employment for its graduates, it suddenly came to an end in 1903. Its appropriation, unanimously voted in the Legislature, was vetoed by the Governor, on the alleged ground that the silvicultural methods applied in the demonstration forest of the College “had been subjected to grave criticism.” It is true the only silvicultural method officially sanctioned (by the Forest Service), the selection forest, had not been applied, yet the war against the College being waged by two wealthy bankers of New York and the well-known character of the then Governor suggest that other “considerations” than mere criticism of professional judgment were at the bottom of his action.
As from the start, the federal Forestry Bureau naturally continued in ever increasing degree to be the educator of the nation, not only as regards popular conceptions and attitudes, but as regards technical matter. Its bulletins, circulars, and reports on the subjects which come under investigation form the bulk of the American literature on the technical side of the subject. During the first 20 years of its existence, some 20,000 pages of printed matter were produced, and the next decade increased the crop of information apace. At first intended for popular propaganda, the matter printed was naturally argumentative, statistical and descriptive, but gradually more and more technical matter filled the pages, and now most of the publications are of technical nature.
One of the first extensive and important lines of investigation undertaken by the Division was that into the characteristics and strength, the timber physics, of American woods, which in its comprehensiveness commanded the admiration of even the Germans, and gave rise to a series of reports. The biology of American species, more or less exhaustively studied, was also begun in the old Division, as well as forest surveys, etc.
By 1902, enough professional interest was in the country to make the publication of a professional journal possible and desirable, the Forestry Quarterly being launched by the writer, with a Board of Editors chosen mainly from the forest schools.
The first association of professional foresters was formed in 1900—the Society of American Foresters—which issues from time to time proceedings containing technical discussions.
The technical book literature, partly due, no doubt, to the overpowering publication facilities of the federal government, is still scanty, and good textbooks especially are still lacking in most branches.
A series of ephemeral popular books answered the demands of earlier days, but outside of Professor Henry S. Graves’ volumes on Forest Mensuration and lately on The Principles of Handling Woodlands, and a few minor aid books and lecture notes, there is as yet nothing of permanent value to be recorded. The writers’ own publication, Economics of Forestry, is intended less for foresters than students of political economy.
Three monumental works can be mentioned in the dendrological line, however, namely the 10th volume of the XII Census (1880) on the Forests of North America; Micheaux and Nuttall’s North American Silva in 5 volumes, 1865; and C. S. Sargent’s Silva of the United States, in 14 magnificent volumes,—three publications which can take rank with any similar literature anywhere.