106 JOURNAL OF FORESTRY 



alone over $1,400,000, a 20 per cent increase, while grazing receipts 

 were $1,200,000, and water power rentals brought in $100,000. These 

 receipts are approximately three-fourths of what it costs to protect 

 the Forests and carry on the current business. In addition to this 

 cost, however, there are expenses which are primarily in the nature 

 of investments, such as roads and other improvements, reforestation 

 of denuded lands, and classification and survey work. All expenses 

 connected with the National Forests, including these investment ex- 

 penses as well as the cost of operation, approximate $5,275,000. 



A steady increase in the returns from the National Forests is ex- 

 pected by the Chief Forester. 



A moderate annual increase for three years in the grazing fee is 

 contemplated which, if put into operation, will eventually bring the 

 grazing receipts to more than $3,000,000. During the last ten years 

 the value of the forage to the stockmen has materially increased be- 

 cause of the improved methods of handling the stock which have been 

 introduced. The present demand for grazing privileges on a majority 

 of the National Forests far exceeds the carrying capacity, and the 

 demand is on the increase. 



Investigations by the Forest Products Laboratory, at Madison, 

 Wisconsin, have resulted in the use of spent tanbark in the manufac- 

 ture of asphalt shingles to the extent of 160 tons per week. The value 

 of the bark has been thereby increased from 60 cents to $2.50 per 

 ton. 



There were cut from the National Forests, in the fiscal year 1916, 

 604,920,000 board feet of timber. Of this amount, 119,483,000 board 

 feet was cut under free-use privilege by 42,055 individuals. In all, 

 10,840 sales of timber were made, of which 97 per cent were under 

 $100 in value, indicating the extent to which the homesteader, rancher, 

 miner, small millman, and others in need of a limited quantity of 

 timber drew upon the Forests. 



We are privileged to quote from a private letter of Dr. C. A. 

 Schenck regarding forest conditions in the war zone and occupied ter- 

 ritory, which seem somewhat at variance from other descriptions. 



In Poland, the crown forests are "placed in charge of German for- 

 esters taken from their jobs at home. No timber or wood is being 

 cut without being marked. Fire patrols are maintained during the 

 hot season. Industries (sawmills, paper mills, tannic acid factories, 



