310 ANNUAL, REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



white pine is the necessary step. Wild currants and gooseberries are 

 so widely distributed within and near the western forests, however, 

 that while the progress of the disease may be delayed by quarantines 

 and similar measures its ultimate spread throughout the white-pine- 

 producing regions of the West seems certain, and the local control of 

 the disease is necessary, just as the prevention of loss from forest fires 

 is a matter of organization for the protection of specific areas. 



The danger from this disease is recognized by many of the private 

 owners of white-pine timber and by the agencies which administer 

 publicly owned forests. A blister-rust advisory board, representing 

 both public and private interests, has been formed in the West and 

 has recommended prompt and vigorous action by the Nation, the 

 States, and the private owners. There is urgent need for aggressive 

 Federal leadership in meeting the menace of this disease in the west- 

 ern forests through the continuation of studies to develop practical 

 means of combating the disease and by the active protection of the 

 endangered Government property. 



PROTECTION OF STATE AND PRIVATE FORESTS. 



No new States established forest-fire protective systems during 

 the year, but the effectiA^eness of the work markedly increased. Ap- 

 propriations by the States for protection against forest fires, al- 

 though still far from adequate, resulted in both an extension of the 

 protected areas and a betterment of the lookout stations, trails, and 

 similar improvements. Of all the States having important forest 

 resources to protect, those in the Southeast, from South Carolina 

 to Mississippi and Arkansas, inclusive, are the only ones yet re- 

 maining to take action against forest fires. This section is still a 

 large center of lumber production and has in consequence not 

 felt the pinch from dwindling timber supplies, and further, the 

 southern forests are not susceptible to the kind of fires which destroy 

 whole stands of timber and cause spectacular losses. However, 

 there is none the less a need for protection, especially of the cut-over 

 and young-growth lands, in order that new forests may come on 

 and help supply future needs after the passing of the virgin stands. 

 In the Pacific Northwest, where most of the merchantable timber 

 is given systematic protection, the cut-over and regrowing lands 

 are in some instances receiving relatively meager protection or none 

 at all. There is just as urgent need for the protection of these 

 cut-over and regrowing lands in the West as there is in the South. 



The Federal appropriation for protecting from fire, in coopera- 

 tion with States, the forested watersheds of navigable streams was 

 the same as in the previous year — $400,000. The increase over the 

 $125,000 received in 1921 induced some States to increase their 

 protective budgets in order to receive larger Federal allotments 

 during the past year. In consequence it was necessary to reduce the 

 maximum allotment to any State from $25,000 to $24,000. The 

 inadequacy of the present Federal cooperation grows more and more 

 evident. As in previous years, special allotments from a contingent 

 fund reserved for emergencies were made to the States which ex- 

 perienced severe fire conditions, compelling them to exceed their 

 budgets of estimated expense. Such allotments amounted all told 



