188 ANNUAL EEPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



manufacturing centers of the Eastern and Central States and on the 

 Pacific coast. The surplus capacity which existed on the Pacific 

 coast prior to the war has been absorbed, and it has been necessary 

 in many instances to meet additional demands by steam power. Con- 

 ditions are rendered still more acute by a serious shortage in 

 petroleum, the fuel upon which steam plants in this territory are very 

 largely dependent. Under these conditions the extension of water- 

 power development would seem natural. 



The financing of new plants or of enlargements of established 

 plants, however, is made difficult by the general financial and indus- 

 trial situation. In so far as the use of National Forest lands or of 

 the public domain is concerned, the uncertainty regarding legislation 

 is a further and a severe handicap. With the enactment of a law put- 

 ting an end to this element of uncertainty which has so long exerted a 

 paralyzing influence in power matters, there may reasonably be ex- 

 pected enough new construction to provide for essential war needs. 

 After the close of the war conditions unquestionably will be favor- 

 able to rapid and extensive development of National Forest hydro- 

 electric power sites. The enactment of sound legislation that will re- 

 move the present uncertainties is greatly to be desired, from the 

 standpoint of the interest of the public in having the water-power 

 resources employed to best advantage. 



GAME. 



The National Forests, with the National Parks, represent the nat- 

 ural and permanent home of the remaining game in the States in 

 which these public properties are located. With the advance of settle- 

 ment and intensification of industrial development, wild life is 

 rapidly forced back to the more remote forest regions. Until recently 

 little attention was given to the problem of wild-life conservation. 

 It was believed that in some way nature would provide for the per- 

 petuation of the game. At the most it was thought that game laws 

 governing the season of hunting and a limit on each hunter were suf- 

 ficient. The wild life, however, rapidly diminished, and disappeared 

 from many regions where it formerly abounded. 



It is now clear that definite provision must be made for an intelli- 

 gent and constructive administration of wild life based on the 

 establishment of adequate breeding areas, winter feeding grounds, 

 intelligently applied laws and regulations governing hunting, etc. 

 In short, there is needed efficient game administration in contrast to 

 mere protection. Laws alone, without such administration, will not 

 automatically meet the situation. 



Considerable progress has already been made in this direction on 

 the National Forests. There are three National game preserves — the 

 Grand Canyon game preserve, with its 6,000 to 8,000 deer and 

 other game ; the Wichita game preserve, with its buffalo herd of 100 

 head, its elk, antelope, deer, and smaller game ; and the Pisgah game 

 preserve in North Carolina, with an abundance of deer, wild turkey, 

 and wild fowl. In addition, there are more than 40 State game 

 preserves within the National Forests which constitute excellent 

 breeding grounds for various kinds of game. There is much game 

 elsewhere in the National Forests. 



