498 A.NNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



administration, naval stores operators hesitated to adopt the conserva- 

 tive methods required by the Government, and few turpentine leasevS 

 were made during the first year. Contrary to the expectations of the 

 operators, liowever, conservative reguhition has increased the yiekls. 

 Although reguhition during the past year was more strict than ever 

 before, demand for turpentine contracts greatly increased. In all, 

 turpentine leases on the Florida National Forest in 1912 yielded 

 $l(*).()r)8.47, as compared with $8,268.G8 in 1911. Prices during the first 

 year averaged only $50 per thousand cups; last year they averaged 

 $100 per thousand cups, with a maximum of $118. It is almost cer- 

 tain that, if it were consistent with good management, all the timber 

 within the forest could be placed under turpentine contracts in a 

 short time without difficulty. The conservative methods employed 

 greatly prolong the period of turpentine production. Estimates place 

 this at from 15 to 20 years. The forest is under a plan of manage- 

 ment which groups turpentine permits on areas where timber sales 

 may easily be made after the turpentining is over. Management by 

 groups of permits has been found to result in better competition and 

 better fire protection. While utilization of the timber for naval stores 

 puts oft' the time when it can be sold and cut, turpentining must be 

 considered a very important phase in the utilization of the trees. 



The great demand for naval stores products, together with the 

 rapidly diminishing supply of timber in the Southeast, has made it 

 necessary for operators to seek new fields. Successful experiments 

 conducted by the Forest Service in turpentining western yellow pine 

 in the Southwest and in California have aroused interest among 

 operators. Experimental sales are planned in Arizona and California. 



TIMBEE TRESPASS. 



The receipts for timber cut in trespass were $40,290.68, as against 

 $43,236.37 in 1911. At the beginning of the year there were 189 

 timber trespass cases pending, and 172 new trespasses were reported 

 during the year. Fifteen cases Avere reported to the Department of 

 Justice for prosecution, 114 settled by the trespasser upon request, 

 and 67 dismissed for want of sufficient evidence or for other reasons ; 

 thus 165 were pending at the close of the year. 



STUDY OF BUSINESS ASPECTS OF TIMBEK SALES. 



With the increase in the size of sales considered and the necessity 

 for greater care in original stumpage appraisals, much attention has 

 been given to two lines of study which should prove of the utmost 

 practical value. The first consisted in the standardization of methods 

 of determining reasonable profit for operators and appraising stump- 

 age after detailed logging and manufacturing costs have been ob- 

 tained. The second provided for the beginning of an intensive study 

 into logging and manufacturing costs, with the idea of standardizing 

 such costs by regions for different classes of operations. In addi- 

 tion, fundamental principles upon which to base the selection and 

 application of the various methods of logging will be sought. A 

 successful completion of this study should be of great benefit to 

 lumbermen, as well as to forest engineers. It should also make pos- 

 sible the securing of data in sales so nearly accurate that appraisals 



