This essential text provides a comprehensive survey of the state of forestry in the United States at the end of the nineteenth century. Fernow, a pioneering conservationist and the first chief of the USDA Forest Service, offers insights into the history, science, and practice of forestry, as well as the economic and environmental challenges facing the field. This report remains a valuable resource for scholars, policymakers, and anyone concerned with the preservation of America's natural resources. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.