REPORT OF THE FORESTER. 



United States Department of Agriculture, 



Forest Service, 



Washington, October 2, 1916. 



Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith a report of the work 

 in the Forest Service for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1916. 

 Respectfully, ■ 



Henry S. Graves, Forester. 

 Hon. D. F. Houston, 



Secretary of Agriculture. 



THE NATIONAL FORESTS. 



The outstanding features of the year in National Forest adminis- 

 tration were: 



(1) A marked increase in receipts, which were greater by 

 $342,071.36 than in 1915 and totaled $2,823,540.71. 



(2) Rapid progress in land classification, of which the object is to 

 segregate and open to settlement all lands best suited to agricultural 

 use while retaining in public ownership the lands which are essential 

 for National Forest purposes. This work is of great importance in 

 fixing on a permanent basis the lands which are to be retained in the 

 National Forests. 



(3) Material progress in development work in the National Forests, 

 which is reflecting itself in an increased use of the resources, larger 

 volume of business, and the advancement of the interests of the local 

 communities. The building of roads in regions hitherto inaccessible 

 is one of the largest factors in this development work. 



(4) Gratifying results in forest protection during an exceptionally 

 prolonged fire season (the summer and fall of the calendar year 1915), 

 during which more than 6,000 fires were controlled with a relatively 

 small loss. 



The increase in receipts was chiefly derived from timber and graz- 

 ing. The timber receipts were $1,412,592.51, an advance of 

 $257,458.56, or 20 per cent, and the grazing receipts $1,210,214.59, an 

 advance of $79,719.59. Water-power rentals brought in $101,096.32, 

 or $12,145.88 more than in 1915, and occupancy for other special uses 

 $85,235.30, an increase of $7,177.98; while turpentine rights yielded 

 $14,401.99, an increase of $5,569.35. 



In addition to the cash receipts the equivalent of a large revenue 

 was foregone through the various forms of free use and the sale of 

 timber to settlers at cost instead of at its actual cash value. During 

 the past year there was given to settlers free of cost approximately 7 

 120,000,000 feet. The Forest Service has authority to sell at cost to 

 settlers timber required £or domestic use. During the last fiscal 



72412°— age 1916 11 155 



