charitable timber and it is estimated by the forest service that 

 more than 800 million feet could be cut every year forever 

 without lessening the forests' productivity. 



ON August 1st, the forest service reduced its force for for- 

 est fire protection by 34 men because of the reduced 

 appropriation for the next two years. While this does 

 not entirely destroy the effectiveness of the remaining force, 

 it is reduced in efficiency more than one-half. Efforts now 

 must be concentrated on the elimination of the fire risks 

 which are greatest. Formerly the field organization was in a 

 large measure a skeleton patrol force by means of which, 

 during the dry periods of spring, summer and fall, fires could 

 be handled in their incipiency. Rangers and patrolmen were 

 first on hand to direct the fire-fighting work, the expense of 

 which was largely borne by the parties responsible for the 

 fires or the landowners. From now on, because of the reduc- 

 tion in the force, the rangers and patrolmen will be so widely 

 scattered as to make it necessary for localities to handle fires 

 at their own discretion and at their own expense. Experience 

 has shown that, in dry periods, the lack of organization and a 

 fixed local responsibility has resulted in widespread damage by 

 fires. Of course the rangers and patrolmen will continue to 

 give all the assistance that they can. 



However, by concentrating their efforts to obtain proper 

 disposal of slash by the lumbermen, ditch and road contract- 

 ors, the rangers will be able to remove the danger of fire from 

 these sources. Careful attention will also be given to the 

 supervision of fire patrol by the railroad companies, the clean- 

 ing up of their rights-of-way and the maintenance of their 

 locomotive equipment in good order. Co-operative efforts, 

 which in the past have been so successful, will be greatly in- 

 creased. This is true not only of the lumber companies and 



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