66 JOURNAL OF FORESTRY 



the heading "Receipts and Operative Expenses,'' nothing could be 

 found in the text referring to operating expenses, nor is there anything 

 in the report particularly interesting from a business man's viewpoint. 

 Moreover it is clear from the discussion under ''Forest Investigations" 

 (page 33) that the lack of business yield data for forests is keenly 

 felt. But it is unquestionably true that the National Forest expendi- 

 tures are fully warranted by the fire protection, range control, and to 

 preserve and administer the areas suitable for camping and recreation ; 

 if the National Forest administration cost three or four times what it 

 does at present it is worth the money. It is well known in the West 

 that it is those who want something for nothing who would vote for a 

 return to the old unregulated forest plundering. But, nevertheless, the 

 best way to convince the private forest owner to practice forestry is 

 to show him that forestry pays ; if it doesn't pay in money, should not 

 the public buy and administer much more private land than it has at 

 present? We always have the teachings of forest history to guide us. 

 We have learned from Europe that solely from the financial standpoint 

 forest production over a number of years does not usually pay. There 

 are exceptions ; but the profits are usually due to abnormal conditions. 

 If you can buy cheap and sell at a higher market, well and good, but 

 suppose that the market decreases as was the case with European fuel 

 producing stands in the last century, then there is a corresponding 

 loss. Eliminating this speculative factor, forest production does not 

 pay more than 2 to 5 per cent, while today sound bonds pay 6 to 7 per 

 cent, with no worry or danger of loss. What is the answer? Public 

 ownership! when the State can point to a balance sheet enriched by 

 indirect forest values and benefits. 



It is a pity that Congress has not promptly authorized the additions 

 proposed for National Forests in Wyoming and Idaho, and certainly 

 there should be more money for fire protection when it is considered 

 that more than a million and a half acres has been burned during the 

 fire season in 1919. For more efficient fire protection, Colonel Graves 

 asks for additional roads and trails, a larger protective force, motor 

 transport, more public co-operation. He summarizes its needs as 

 follows : 



(1) The Forests have not yet been sufficient!}- opened up with roads and 

 trails. It is still necessary in many cases to build trails through the woods to 

 the fires. This may require several days, during which a fire may have become 

 a great conflagration. 



(2) The regular protective force is insufficient. 



(3) The Forest Service is almost wholly unequipped with motor transport. 

 Aside from the fact that the cost of hiring trucks to transport men and supplies 



