EVER since the development of television and the atomic bomb, research is thought by many to be an easy way of reaching an objective with little or no work or expense. Industries formerly not interested in research, have built laboratories and expected profits to double in a year; uninformed executives have expected research to solve million dollar problems on hundred dollar budgets. Research is producing marvelous results in many areas, but time, work and money are required.

THE origin of the term "Tree Farm" is somewhat indefinite. The earliest use of the term that I have been able to find was by Stewart H. Holbrook. He used it in an editorial reference to the enactment of the Oregon Forest Fee and Yield Tax in 1929 which he said "would assure the tree farmer, that is the logging operator." Col. W. B. Greeley used it as the title of an article in Nations Business in September, 1931, under the heading "The Tree Farmer Gets a Chance." Gifford Pinchot also used it in a letter contesting a political controversy in which he said "Wood is a crop; Forestry is Tree Farming."

INTEREST in genetics and forest genetics has soared to unprecedented heights in recent years. Forest genetics is not just a hot topic for conversation and debate-it is a going research field-well-financed and country-wide in scope.

Published Annually by the Ames Forestry Club.

It was about 50 years ago when the effort began in this country to develop systematic protection against forest fires. Before that most citizens looked at the great forest conflagrations as "acts of God" like hurricanes, floods and droughts. After all, such conflagrations had been known to occur since the white man first became acquainted with North America.