THE YEAR WITH THE FOREST SERVICE 



RECEIPTS from the National Forests reached a new 

 high level in 1917, with a total of $3,457,028. This 

 was a gain of $633,487 over the previous record, 

 established in 1916. Practically every form of use of 

 the forests was greater than ever before, according to 

 the annual report of Acting Forester Albert F. Potter, 

 who is in charge of the United States Forest Service dur- 

 ing the absence of Forester Henry S. Graves with the 

 American Expeditionary Forces in the French war zone. 

 The chief increases were in timber receipts, which totaled 

 $1,692,520, a gain of $265,525 ; and grazing receipts, with 

 a total of $1,549,794, a gain of $339,580. 



The increase in the charge for grazing privileges dur- 

 ing the year was only 25 per cent. Further increases will 

 be made with a view to bringing the charge to a point 

 representing the actual forage value. It is figured that 

 when the full advance has been made the income of the 

 National Forests will be close to the cost of operation. 

 There is now a deficit of less than $600,000. Another in- 

 crease in receipts equal to that of 1917 would close the 

 gap. 



During 1916 the increase in timber receipts was due to 

 accelerated cutting under old contracts rather than to new 

 contracts. For 1917 the total volume of sales was more 

 than twice as large as in 1916. This showing reflects the 

 improved demand for lumber through general business 

 activity and the stimulus of war. The total amount of 

 timber cut in 1917 was 840,612,000 board feet, as against 

 714,505,000 board feet in 1916. 



War activities in the Forest Service during the year 

 included the rendering of emergency assistance in special 

 patrol duties in the National Forest regions, particularly 

 in the protection of public works and transportation 

 lines ; the gathering of military reconnaissance informa- 

 tion valuable to the War Department ; the release for war 

 service of such portion of its personnel as might be 

 needed because of qualifications for special forms of 

 activity or such as might have to be spared for military 

 service, either as volunteers or under draft ; and the 

 rendering of advice or assistance to the War and Navy 

 Departments and to manufacturers in matters relating 

 to the supply of materials derived from the forests and 

 required for war purposes. In addition the Service played 

 an important part in the organization of the Forest 

 Regiments for service in the French forests. 



On aircraft the efforts of the Service have included the 

 development of methods by which spruce and ash can 

 be artificially dried without loss of strength and tough- 

 ness, obviously involving supplementary strength tests ; 

 tests to determine the best substitutes for these species, 

 and for each species selected the development of safe 

 methods of artificial drying ; study of the effects of 

 steaming on mechanical properties of ash and spruce, to 

 develop the best conditions for bending ; the selection of 

 the woods most suitable for propellers ; tests to determine 



the proper methods of conditioning and the best tech- 

 nique for propeller construction ; strength tests on 

 veneers and built-up construction ; advice and assistance 

 on specifications and the training of inspectors of wood 

 for airplanes. 



On wooden ships an attempt is being made to cover the 

 entire field of the proper technical use of wood, including 

 specifications, the best method of conditioning, preserva- 

 tive treatment against decay and marine borers, the selec- 

 tion of substitutes, steaming, bending and other phases. 



A total gross area of 644,050 acres was added to the 

 National Forests, as follows: 34,560 acres to the Crook, 

 in Arizona ; 1,292 acres to the Pike, in Colorado ; 13,642 

 acres to the Teton in Wyoming, and 4,480 acres to the 

 Missoula in Montana; 50,182 acres to the Whitman, in 

 Oregon, and 539,901 acres to the Colorado forest, in 

 Colorado. 



Eliminations were made by presidential proclama- 

 tions and executive orders from 12 forests, to a total 

 gross area of 316,230 acres. There was also eliminated, 

 through final approval by the Interior Department of 

 certain state selections in two forests in Idaho and South 

 Dakota, a total of 37,581 acres. By acts of Congress 

 there were eliminated 83,453 acres from the Lassen and 

 Colorado forests, for inclusion in the Lassen and Rocky 

 Mountain National Parks. 



There were within the National Forest boundaries June 

 30, 1917, 176,252,160 acres, including 21,085,541 acres of 

 alienated land. The net National Forest area, or, in other 

 words, the area actually owned by the public, was at the 

 close of the year 155,166,619 acres. 



The timber business on the eastern purchase areas, 

 while still small in amount compared with that on the 

 western forests, showed a decided increase. From these 

 purchased lands 22,317,000 board feet, valued at $51,- 

 544.49, were sold, as against 6,279,000 board feet, valued 

 at $6,369.23 in 1916. The amount cut was 5,435,000 

 board feet, valued at $7,315.54, against 3,875,000 board 

 feet, valued at $3,992.70, in 1916. The material taken in 

 these sales is largely of poor quality, and its removal is 

 an aid in improving the composition of the stand. In a 

 few cases the value of the material sold has equaled the 

 price paid by the government for the land and timber. 

 This has been due to the marked increase in the value of 

 some minor forest products, such as chestnut acid wood. 



The latter part of the summer put the National Forest 

 Protective system to the severest test which it has expe- 

 rienced since the great fires of 1910, and made necessary 

 the heaviest emergency expenditures which have been 

 known since that disastrous year. Had it not been for 

 the great advance which has been made in organized fire 

 protection in the interval, there might easily have been 

 a repetition of the widespread losses which were then 

 suffered. The hardest part of the fight against the fires 

 was taken by district 1, embracing Montana and northern 



