The Washington herald., 1909-01-11
.PTNCHOT REPORTS
ON FOREST SERVICE
Trails, Roads. Telephones,
and Fences Are Built.
IS OPENED UP
Costs But One and
One-haIf Cents an Acre-GOverR-
ment Profits from Grazing and
Use of TimBer-Great Need of More
Officers for Patrol Duty.

Listing receipts and expenditures and
explaining them In plain English, Clifford
Pinchot. forester. has just made a retro
spect Of the work of the United States
Forest Service for the year 1905
For the administration and protection
OF the 1S2 national forests in seventeen
States and Territories and Alaska, the
government spent s2.536aS.02. or about
~ cents an acre. Permanent improve
ments. including the construction Of 400
miles Of trails 100 miles Of wagon roads,
800 miles Of telephone lines, so cabins
and barns. 60 miles OF pasture and drift
fences. 80 bridges. and 40 miles OF fire
lines. cost S592, 2,Is9I9
Telephone wire 20 build approximately
40 miles Of additional lines was shipped
10 the forester. but with the funds avail
able before the close Of the year work
Of construction could not be completed
Benefits Are Seen
Although many needed improvements
could not be undertaken. the benefits OF
what has been accomplished are seen in
the more convenient and economical
manner in which the forest officers are
enabled 10 carry on their work ard IN the
opening Up 90 forest users OF territory
hitherto inaccessible. The remaining
Szs1. SO 20 OF the total of S,4I510I51 dis
bursed on account Of work of the Forest
Service was used in forest Investigations
costing 50. S55.14 and IN diffusion u for
est Information and Federal cooperation.
The Forest Service is one of the
branches Of the government where every
thing is not outgO Last year the re-
ce.pts from sales OF timber grazing fees.
and permits for special uses az forest re-
sources amounted To Si.S42&IS7. an in
crease Of SCI. .222-43 over the 1907 q Ires
The national forests yielded heavily 20
the public IN free use. There we've S77I4
permits granted for the free use Os tim
ber BY settlers. schools. and churches
during the year. against 1883 in 1s17.
Free Use of Forests
The aggregate OF free use of the forests
since no permit is required 70 be taken
out and there IS therefore no record pre-
served. II added perhaps 70 Per cent 10
the amount Of stock carried by the for
ests- Settlers living on OF adjacent 20 the
forests. and pTospectors. campers, and
travellers in them are allowed 10 graze
free up 10 ten head Of nilch cows. work
animals. or horses IN use. and purchasers
OF timber and stockUen on the forests
are given the same privilege for the
horses needed In thei- work. IN Arizona
and New Mexico mich goats 10 the mum
Der OF thirty may be grazed free IN place
0f mich COWS
The grazing receipts for 1865 were S9s2
S29 90 and were paid By the holders OF
q. SIS permits 10 graze L12.21 cattle.
horses. and hogs, and Of 4-zS2 permits 70
Craze 7.sSL111 sheep and goats Receipts
of $50 027-24 from timber sales were paid
hy approximately 5,lS9 purchasers who
cut the equivalent - 392- -792 go board feet
Of timber. The receipts from special
uses amounted 20 So. sS5.s3 and were paid
by 2055 peruiJJees-
Ths years receipts represent profitable
use Of the forests by some 5000 indi-
viduals or concerns IN addition % more
than 3o.005 getting free use Of timber and
other resources About Cne-four1h Of all
the timber cut from the national forests
was under free use permits
Receipts from Tim ber-
The total receipts from timber sales
each year since the national forests have
been under the administration Of the
Forest Service have been as follows: 1895,
S56.I 1852; 1896. S285.ms.is; 1897. $5SS, ,Sl2l2
and 1908, SS49.0ZT.24
At the end OF the last fiscal year. when
business was heavier than at any other
time during the year 1S2 national forests
were cared for by an executive and pro
tective force OF - inspectors sS forest
supervisors. 81 deputy supervisors. g for
est assistants. s planting assistants. 81
rangers, al forest guards. and S. clerks.
The ayerase area 20 each officer theO-
reticsIly available for patrol duty vas
1865 acres. But more than three
fourths OF the time Of these forest Of
fcers IS now required by the fast-groW-
ing volume OF national forest business.
so that in point Of fact the force on
duty al the close OF the year provided
about one patrol officer 10 each 59o0o0
acres Of forest
Many Trees Planted.
About 10000 trees were planted last
year in forests in Nebraska. kan
sas, Colorado, New Mexico. Arizona.
Utah. Idaho, and California There
are now growing az the planting stations
over 2.200.0oO trees which VIII be ready
for planting in 1913. Sufficient seed was
sown in the spring Of 1893 TO produce
$4,000 seedlings.
Besides administering the national
forests the Forest Service renders. on
request. expert advice and assistance 10
other parts Of the executive government
regarding the practice of forestry
The Forest Service conducts investiga-
tions Of forest products along the two
lines OF wood preservation and wood
utilization. Some OF these Investigations.
aim primarily 70 promote better use Of
national forest timbers, others seek re-
suits either Of general application or
contributing TO the best use Of the forests
Of Soma Srppi1I rpuiOD