466 ANNUAL KEPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



converted into a deficit. Only by abandoning all expectation of keep- 

 ing the water, timber, and range resources of the forests permanent 

 could a very large charge upon State funds be prevented. 



During the past year there was made, in compliance with a re- 

 quirement of the agricultural appropriation act for 1912, a classifi- 

 cation of all expenditures of the Forest Service from the year 1900 

 to the year 1910, inclusive. The preparation of the statement called 

 for by the law made necessary a line-by-line analysis of some 105,000 

 vouchers, covering the disbursement of over $16,000,000. One result 

 was to show that the net cost of the national forests to the Govern- 

 ment for the six years 1905 to 1910, inclusive, counting in all over- 

 head charges, but deducting the value of all property and improve- 

 ments on hand, was less than $600,000 per year. It was in 1905 that 

 the Forest Service was put in charge of the national forests. 



Against this net cost, as was pointed out in the report made to 

 Congress embodying the results of the classification, must be set the 

 public service rendered by protection and regulated use of the na- 

 tional forests, which at a very moderate estimate have a direct prop- 

 erty value exceeding $2,000,000,000. Even under the exceptionally 

 trying conditions of 1910, in which the difficulty of fire control, the 

 extent of the fires, and the loss caused by fires was far greater than 

 in any other year, over 75 per cent of all fires discovered were put 

 out by the forest officers without extra help or expense. The stock 

 industry alone has benefited by regulated grazing to an extent far 

 exceeding the entire net cost of caring for the forests. The yearly 

 value of water protection by the Forest Service is probably greater 

 than the entire annual appropriation for its support. The timber 

 oil the forests is advancing in value at the rate of not less than 

 $50,000,000 a year. 



The summary of the classification of all expenditures and re- 

 ceipts for the li-year period was shown as follows: 



Debits. 



(1) Total expenditiires from Forest Service appropriations for 



forest worli $16,657,7.59.98 



(2) Expenditures for printing and binding bulletins, circulars, 



etc., paid from departmental appropriation for printing 



and binding 236, 667. 60 



(3) Payment to States, refunds, and other mlscellnneous dis- 



bursements under the general direction of the Forest 



Service 1, 817, 753. 45 



Total expenditure 18, 712, 181. 03 



Credits. 

 (a) Receipts: 



(1) From national forest 



resources ($8,346,- 

 967.20 less $208,844.51 

 collected by Interior 

 Department $8, 138, 122. 63 



(2) From miscellaneous 



sources 7, 358. 23 



(3) From contributions for 



cooperative work 

 with the Forest 



Service 109,846.63 



$8, 255, 327. 49 



