44 ANNTTAL KEPOETS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGEICULTUilE. 



Direct extension funds. — The appropriations made directly to the 

 Department of Agriculture very largely are expended in developing 

 the county-agent system. Contributions to the salaries of the agents 

 are made on a plan which encourages local support. The system is well 

 established in about one-third of the counties. This result has been 

 attained mainly because the department has supported actively the 

 movement during the period when the people were not fully persuaded 

 of its value. Two-thirds of the counties have not yet placed the sys- 

 tem on a permanent footing and need the stimulating influence of the 

 department and of the State college. The work in home economics as 

 yet is in its inception. It is highly desirable, therefore, that the de- 

 partment have direct appropriations available for extension work. 

 As Federal and State funds become sufficient to maintain all the 

 agents, it may be desirable for the department to decrease gradually 

 its contributions and to expend its appropriations more largely for 

 the support of administrative officers and specialists who shall super- 

 vise the work of the agents, supplement their activities by special 

 demonstrations, and give expert advice and assistance. 



THE NATIONAL FORESTS. 



Nearly 25 years have passed since the first public timber reserva- 

 tion was made and 10 since the National Forests were put under 

 the Department of Agriculture. Sufficient time has elapsed to 

 determine whether their creation was wise. 



The principal purpose in establishing the Forests was to secure 

 sound economic and industrial development. Experience had shown 

 that private ownership of large areas of timberland in most instances 

 involved a sacrifice of public interests. Many private investments in 

 forest lands are made for the mature timber and not for the purpose 

 of growing new tree crops. The long time required to raise a mer- 

 chantable product, the risk of loss from fire and other destructive 

 agencies, the fear of burdensome taxes, and the uncertainty of market 

 conditions usually make the holding of cut-over lands unattractive 

 to capital. Hence, the peculiarly public character of the problem of 

 forestry. 



Fire protection. — Before the National Forests were created prac- 

 tically no effort was made to protect the timber on public lands from 

 destruction by fire, notwithstanding the fact that the situation was 

 peculiarly hazardous. During the last decade a fire protective sys- 



