A certain amount of the fund was set aside to be distrib- 

 uted by the Forest Service among the states which were will- 

 ing to co-operate in the work. Some states received one thou- 

 sand dollars, others two, others three, and so on. Minnesota, 

 on account of her large area of important water sheds and 

 her efficient State Forest Service received $10,000.00. 



According to this co-operative agreement, the money could 

 be used for the employemnt of patrolmen who should be paid 

 by the Federal Government, but appointed and controlled by 

 the State Foresters. The only restriction was that the men 

 so employed should be employed exclusively upon the water 

 sheds specified. This timely aid made possible the appoint- 

 ment of thirty-five extra men. 



The importance of this aid can hardly be over-estimated. 

 The appropriation made by the Legislature was too small to 

 allow the appointment of enough patrolmen to properly and 

 efficiently cover the vast forest territory which needed pro- 

 tection. In this early stage of the development of our state 

 patrol system it is of the extremest importance that the 

 patrolmen should frequently cover the whole district assigned 

 to them in order that they may become thoroughly acquainted 

 not only with the forest conditions, but with the settlers 

 within their district. It is of equal importance that the peo- 

 ple become thoroughly acquainted with the law and the men 

 who are enforcing it. The co-operation with the government 

 has alone made this relationship possible. The men do know 

 now, owing to the smaller districts it has been possible to 

 assign them, all the settlers in their districts and have done 

 a greater educational work than could have been accom- 

 plished in any other way. 



It is this educational work carried on continually through 

 the favorable seasons of little danger which will mean the 

 salvation of the country when a dry season comes upon us. 

 The ranger will then have the divided support of an intel- 

 ligent people instead of having to contend with a stolid in- 

 difference or" a stubborn opposition born of ignorance. 



8 



