370 



ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



The procedure in force at th3 close of the fiscal year provided that 

 these reports and accompanying evidence should be referred to the 

 Sohcitor for examination into their sufficiency to sustain adverse 

 proceedings in the Intorior l)<'i)artinent. If found sulHcient, upon 

 the recommendation of the Sohcitor to the Secretary a letter to the 

 Secretary of the Interior requests action looking to the ordering of a 

 hearing to determine the validity of tlie claim. Certain proposed 

 modifications of this procedure are set forth under "Work for the 

 ensuing year" (see p. 60). 



COST AND USE. 



The following tables show the cost of administration and protec- 

 tion, expenditures for ])crmanent improvements, and receipts from 

 the several sources, both in totals and per acre, during the year, as 

 compared with those for the fiscal year 1909: 



Expenditures for administration and protection and permanent improvements during the 



fiscal year 1910, compared with 1909. 



The per acre expenditures are here computed on the basis of the 

 gross area of all National Forests under administration at the close 

 of the year, since private holdings within the exterior boundaries 

 of the Forests do not appreciably lower the cost of administration 

 and protection. 



Comparison of receipts from the several sources for fiscal years 1910 and 1909. 



Refunds of excess deposits (as, for example, deposits made by buyers 

 of timber in advance of cutting) have not been deducted from the 

 receipts given above. The refunds of timber recei])ts in 1910 amounted 

 to $31,584.82, and of all receipts in 1910 to $48,966.86. A deduction 

 of the refunds would leave the total of receipts for 1910 $2,041,181.22, 

 as against $1,767,171.93 for 1909. 



Grazing receipts for 1910 were paid by the holdere of 20,692 per- 

 mits to graze 1,497,570 cattle, horses, and hogs, and of 4,995 permits 

 to graze 7,648,950 sheep and goats. The receipts from timber sales 

 were paid by 5,398 purchasers, who cut the equivalent of 379,616,000 

 board feet of timber. The receipts from special uses were paid by 



