42 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



form of trails, telephone lines, and roads to facilitate the early dis- 

 covery of fires and quick action to extinguish them, the funds avail- 

 able for construction work have been too limited to permit of rapid 

 progress. There is no resident population at hand to draw upon for 

 fire fighters, so that when large fires develop forces must be organized 

 in towns and cities scores if not hundreds of miles away, transported 

 by railroad to the points nearest the fire, sent long distances into the 

 woods, and there provided with equipment and food by pack trains. 

 The inevitable result of such conditions is that fires which in other 

 regions would be quickly put out, gain headway, burning, perhaps, 

 for several days before the effort to bring them under control can 

 begin. There should be provision for pushing more rapidly the 

 improvement work on these forests, for a greater number of forest 

 guards, and for the earlier organization of the protective system each 

 fire season. For these purposes, the estimates submitted to Congress 

 include increases for specific forests totaling $230,808. 



"WATER POWER. 



In my report of last year I emphasized the need of water-power 

 legislation and, since three departments would be directly involved, 

 suggested that it contain a provision for an administrative commis- 

 sion composed of the Secretaries of War, the Interior, and Agri- 

 culture. After prolonged consideration by a special water-power 

 committee, a measure was drafted and was passed by the House of 

 Eepresentatives. Its early enactment into law would remove many 

 uncertainties in the water-power situation and would directly con- 

 duce to the public interest. 



RECENT LEGISLATION AND DEVELOPSIENT. 



The last five years have been especially fruitful of legislation 

 and of its practical application for the betterment of agriculture. 

 Special provision was made for the solution of problems in behalf 

 of agriculture, embracing marketing and rural finance. The Bureau 

 of Markets, unique of its kind and excelling in range of activities 

 and in financial support any other similar existing organization, 

 was created and is rendering effective service in a great number of 

 directions. Standards for staple agricultural products were pro- 

 vided for and have been announced and applied under the terms 

 of the cotton futures and grain standards acts. Authority to license 



