THF NATK ).\ \l. C( INSERVATK >.\ COMMISSK >N 



519 



powers. Whether developed powers are 

 put to their full use. I low far can coal 

 be saved by substitution of water- 

 power. The I'.ureau of Corporations 

 cooperate with the I I ydographic 

 Branch in obtaining information on the 

 following subject>: Are water-powers 

 being consolidated, and to what extent 

 are water-jxnvcrs owned by corpora- 

 tions subject to -> >vernmcntal control? 



Nearly the entire matter of forests 

 lias been placed in the hands of the 

 Forest Service. The I'.ureau of Cor- 

 porations is cooperating in obtaining 

 the amount of standing timber and the 

 ( Vnsus is obtaining the cut of lumber 

 and the amount used as firewood. The 

 matters confided to the Forest Service 

 are as follows : The extent of our orig- 

 inal forests. The amount of standing 

 timber remaining. The annual cut. 

 Past and present prices of products. 

 Present rate of growth. 1 low the pro- 

 ductiveness of our forests can be in- 

 creased. How long the present supply 

 will last. \Yhat foreign sources of sup- 

 ply are in sight. How our forest re- 

 sources, consumption and prices and 

 uses of forest products compare with 

 those of other countries. How the cost 

 of our forest administration compares 

 with that of other countries. How far 

 foreign methods of forest administra- 

 tion are suited to conditions in this 

 country. Sources of waste and how 

 they can be reduced. The relations be- 

 tween forests and stream tlow. The re- 

 lation of forests to industry and civi- 

 li/ation. What measures must be 

 adopted t<> perpetuate our timber sup- 

 ply. ( >f the above, the annual cut is 

 obtained each year bv the joint work 

 <(" the CenSUS and Forest Service. 



The entire subject of Minerals has 

 been undertaken b\ the < ieological Sur- 

 vey. The Commission desires to know 

 as nearly as possible, the amounts of 

 ores and minerals in the Around. Tin- 

 amount mined each year, which is ob- 

 tained annually by the < ieo! .gical Sur- 

 vey. Probable duration <,f the supply. 

 Nature and extent of waste in mining, 

 extraction and use. and methods of pre- 

 venting or lessening it. How the du- 



lation of these resources can be ex- 

 tended. 



In addition to the above, the Com- 

 mission seeks information on the con- 

 servation oi hie and properu in min- 

 ing; the losses by tire and their pre- 

 vention. Ixith of which subjects have 

 been undertaken by the Geological Sur- 

 vey. 



The I'.ureau of Statistics of the De- 

 partment of Agriculture has furnished 

 data concerning the losses among live 

 -lock by disease, exposure, etc. 



The Fish Committee has furnished 

 information concerning the annual 

 catch of fish, the condition of siipph . 

 and the work or restocking. 



The Biological Survey has furnished 

 information concerning the condition 

 and distribution of game, the annual 

 destruction and natural increase, tin- 

 useful and deleterious birds and mam- 

 mals. 



The Bureau of Entomology is pre- 

 paring data concerning the dam. 

 done by insects to the forests, to crops, 

 and to manufactured goods. 



The Bureau of Statistics. Depart- 

 ment of Commerce and Labor, sounds 

 a note of warning to the effect that our 

 exports of bread stuffs and meat have 

 passed high-water mark, and will prob- 

 ably decline henceforward, as we con- 

 sume more and more of them. 



In much of this work the Census 

 and the Bureau of Statistics of the De- 

 partment of Agriculture have aided ma- 

 terially in mailing circulars and in re- 

 ceiving and tabulating the results. 



Fvery where, throughout the govern- 

 ment service, the Coninn's>jon has found 

 the heartiest and fullest cooperation. 

 In most cases, the heartiness of the in- 

 terest shown extended to a stilly of the 

 inquiries and their emendation and ex 

 tension b\ the chief of the bureau Con- 

 sulted, through his full knowledge- of 

 the subject. Moreover, in very many 

 cases, the information sought by the 

 ( 'oinmis-jon is precisely that which 

 should have been obtained long ago by 

 the bureaus concerned, but its collation 

 has been delayed by the pressure of 

 more immediate duties, and the bu- 



