The copper era and Morenci leader., 1917-01-19
ARIZONA RECEIVES GOODLY SUMS
 IN BILL

| WAStlNGION, Jan. 15.-Ine az ricultural appropriation bill which las passed the house contains a number of items that are of direct interest to the people of Arizona The ten national forests in Arizona sums for maintenance and improve ments during the fiscal year begin hing July 1, 1917:
 Apache forest in Greenlee ana
 | Apache counties. ..... s S,079 Coconino forest near Flagstaff 12,107 Coronado forest in southern
 Arizona. ........ ...... 9,044 Crook forest in Gila and Ora
 ham counties. -. ...... S,7S5 Dixie forest in Mohave county 1,596 Kaibab forest north of the
 Grand Canyon. =. .. 2,7Os Prescott forest. .... ..... 6,255 Sitgreaves forest in Navajo
 county .. ....... ...... S,341 Tonto forest in Maricopa and
 Gila counties. a.. ........ 4,525 Tusayan forest near Williams 9,541
 When the appropriations for the Ma tional Forests were under considera- tion in the house, Congressman Carl Hayden strongly protested against the proposed increase in grazing fees. He stated that at the present rates charged for cattle and sheep the Ari- zona forests were now self sustaining, and that the stockmen of Arizona were opposed to being taxed to make up the deficits which are incurred by the forest service in other states. No ac- tion could be taken by the house be- cause the contemplated raise in the grazing rates is not to be made by an act of congress but by regulation issued by the secretary of agriculture. The rules of the house do not permit an amendment to be offered to an ap- propriation bill which would take away from the secretary this author ity to increase the charges for graz ing, so that the western members were unable to offer such a motion at this time.
 The,agriculture bill also provides for the maintenance of the Sacaton ex- pertinent station where the now fam ous Pima and Yuma varieties of Egyp- tian cotton were first developed. $50,- 900 is appropriated to prevent the in troduction, from Mexico of the pink boil worm which is very destructive to cotton The government date orchard and also the Chronological station at Tempe are provided for. Appropria' tions are made for the destruction of the prairie dogs that are doing great damage to the Arizona ranges. The bureau of soils has been granted an increased appropriation so that it will be possible to carry out soil survey in some county in Arizona in the near future No work of this character has been done since 1904, when the soil surveys were made of the Salt river and Yuma reclamation projects. The bureau of markets was also giv en additional funds to carry on it's ac. tivities, and steps have been taken looking to cooperative marketing work in Maricopa county. The bill also makes appropriations for the breeding and study of alkai and drought re, sistant crops, for investigations in connection with western irrigation agriculture, and for the improvement of the methods of crop production un, der dry-land conditions.
 Many of the employees of the forest service and the other bureaus of the department of agriculture in Arizona should be happy because provision is made for 10 per cent increase in all salaries under $1200 per annum. Those whose compensation is between $12OO and $500 will receive raise of per cent The bill carries total appro. priation of over 5,600,000 which is the largest sum ever authorized to be expended for the benefit of the farm CTS and stock growers of the United States.