58 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



FOREST SERVICE. 



The work of the Forest Service is, of course, both investigative 

 and administrative. The investigative work has for its field the dis- 

 covery of the best methods of handling woodlands and the best 

 methods of utilizing their products. The administrative work is that 

 involved in protecting and developing the National Forests and in 

 cooperating with States for fire protection of the watersheds of 

 navigable streams under the Weeks law. A^Hiile the investigative 

 work is fundamental for the application of right methods on the 

 National Forests as well as elsewhere, the strictly administrative 

 work takes the lead by far in importance, as measured by volume 

 and cost. 



In my report last year I set forth in some detail the necessity of 

 basing the administrative work on sound technical methods. It is 

 equally necessary that the administrative policy accord with sound 

 business principles. As use of the forests develops, certain questions 

 of business policy are sure to come to the fore. With nearly eight 

 years of National Forest administration behind me — years which in 

 sober truth deserve to be called epoch-making, for within their com- 

 pass a complete system of regulated use giving permanence to vast 

 resources has been developed almost from nothing — and bearing in 

 mind the years ahead in wdiich that sj^stem will be tested by its 

 results, I may well call attention at this time to the principles which 

 underlie the present business policy and to the reasons why that 

 policy should, in my judgment, be continued. 



The National Forests contain about one-fifth of the standing tim- 

 ber of the country, but furnish only about one-eightieth of the annual 

 cut. They produce by growth more than 10 times the amount of 

 timber which is now being taken from them each year. While the 

 forests of the country as a whole are being greatly overcut, so that 

 our timber capital is diminishing yearl}^ and rapidly, the National 

 Forests are rising reservoirs of supply. The forests of the East and 

 South particularly are subjected to an accelerating drain by the heavy" 

 demands of the general market, and to the extent that the weight of 

 this overdemand can be relieved through the use of a greater pro- 

 portion of western timber, the best permanent interests of the country 

 will be promoted. A large part of the present stand of National 

 Forest timber is ripe for the ax, so that the sooner it is cut the greater 

 will be the production of new timber by growth and the less the waste 

 through decay. All these facts point to the conclusion that the cut 

 from the forests should be increased by every possible means. 



This conclusion, however, can not be accepted unqualifiedl3\ There 

 are considerations of public policy which weigh on the other side. I 

 should have failed in my duty if I had made volume of cut my sole 



