FOREST COMMISSIONERS REPORT. 7 



Maine has benefited under the provisions of the Weeks' law 

 passed by congress in IVlarch i()ii. As soon as the bill was 

 passed steps were immediately taken looking towards this state 

 getting its share of the fund to be expended by cooperation 

 between the Federal and state governments. The conditions un- 

 der which any state could get a portion of the $200,000, made 

 available by the passage of the act, was that there should be a 

 well organized forestry system for the protection of fires, with a 

 specific appropriation therefor. 



Maine already had the organization and there was no delay 

 in that line. The maximum amount fixed by the Federal gov- 

 ernment that any state could get was $10,000 for each fiscal 

 year, and that on condition that a like sum was expended by the 

 state applying for cooperation. With the tax of the Maine For- 

 estry District amounting to nearly $68,000 there was no barrier 

 for Maine and the full allotment of $10,000 for each of the 

 years 1911-12 was made for the state. Practically all of the 

 allotment was spent in 191 1, but owing to a decision of the Fed- 

 eral department against allowing for as much patrolling as was 

 asked for, there was a substantial balance of the IQ12 allotment. 

 More about this service will be found in another chapter. 



As the $200,000 fund is being diminished and no more for the 

 same purpose was appropriated by congress during the past 

 session, it is very doubtful if any state gets more than $7,500 

 in 19 1 3. The Federal government also proposes to limit its ex- 

 penditure wholly to the lookout stations and none for patrolling. 

 It is suggested that more lookout stations be established in 

 Maine. 



Another proposition in the way of cooperation by the Federal 

 government was submitted to Maine in 191 1, that of making a 

 study of the wood using industries of the state. An agreement 

 was finally entered into, providing that upon the payment of 

 the sum of $350 by the state, the Federal government would 

 perform the work and pay all expense above the $350. A study 

 with the object of getting data upon the following subjects was 

 decided upon: Products manufactured; properties of wood de- 

 sired for use employed ; efforts to utilize waste material : kinds 

 of wood desired at factory ; form and dimensions in which pur- 

 chased ; specific uses of each kind ; quantity used annually ; 

 prices delivered at factory ; and sources of each kind. The 

 result of the study is given on other pages of this report. 



