534 



ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



It has been the purpose of the Forest Service in the allotment of 

 iho fund ])rovifled under the Weeks law to secure the greatest edu- 

 calionid bonefils by promotini; Slate and private protective work in 

 as many difl'erent States as po.ssible. In the furtherance of this policy 

 the maximum allotment made to any State has been limited to $10,000. 

 Allotments in each case are based upon the number and importance 

 of navigable watersheds, placing a broad interpretation upon the 

 term " navigable " and using as a general basis oi determination the 

 reports of the Chief of Engineers of the United States Army; the 

 extent and value of the forests; the amount of the State appropria- 

 tion and the ability of the State itself to do the protective work 

 needed; and the amount of cooperation which can be secured from 

 private owners. 



In all cases a reasonable efYort on the part of private owners is 

 required. The provision of the law that cooperation shall not be 

 extended to any State which has not provided by law for a system 

 of fire protection has been interpreted and applied as requiring a 

 field protective organization. States depending upon volunteer pro- 

 tection or upon the services of ex officio wardens with optional county 

 expenditures have not received allotments. State appropriation for 

 the protection of navigable watersheds equal to Federal expendi- 

 tures by fiscal years has been required. 



The following statement shows the allotment by States for the cal- 

 endar years 1912 and 1911 and the expenditures during 1911. The 

 unallotted balance of the $200,000 fund available on September 1, 

 1912, was $83,706.45. 



state. 



Maine 



New Hampshire 



Vermont 



Massachusetts. - 



Connecticut 



New York 



New Jersey 



Maryland 



Wisconsin 



Minnesota 



Oregon 



Washington 



Montana ^ 



Idaho 1 



Total. 



Calendar 

 ypiir 1912. 

 allotment. 



$10,000.00 



8,000.00 



2,000.00 



2,500.00 



1,. 500. 00 



4,000.00 



2,000.00 



2,000.00 



5,000.00 



10,000.00 



10,000.00 



10,000.00 



3,500.00 



27,000.00 



77,500.00 



Calendar year 1911. 



Allotment. 



$10,000.00 

 Y, 200. 00 

 2,000.00 

 1,800.00 

 1,000.00 

 2,000.00 

 1,000.00 

 GOO. 00 

 5,000.00 

 10,000.00 

 5,000.00 



45,600.00 



Expendi- 

 tures. 



$9,991.80 



6,219.50 



1,218.00 



365.00 



6.00 



2,000.00 



990.00 



261.00 



4,437.25 



10,000.00 



3,305.00 



38,793.55 



Unexpended 

 balance. 



$8.20 



980.50 



782.00 



1,435.00 



994.00 



10.00 

 339.00 

 562.76 



1,695.00 



6,806.45 



^ Agreeinonls not executed because of a favorable fire season. 



» The expenditure of $3,000 is conditioned upon the State's extending its present organization. 



Cooperation has also been considered with Kentucky, Alabama, and 

 California. At the last session of the Kentucky Legislature a forest 

 law was passed which provided for a forest fire-protective system and 

 made an appropriation for its maintenance. A tentative allotment of 

 $4,000 was set aside and will be made available as soon as the State 

 can organize its forest force. It was found necessary to postpone co- 

 operation with both Alabama and California because in neither of 

 these States was there in operation an adequate State fire-protective 

 system, nor were there funds to permit of systems being organized 



