the State and Experiment Station work in forestry it was found inexpedient 

 for the State Forester to conduct any forestry courses during the college 

 year 1915-16. A series of lectures, however, was given to the horticultural 

 and other students during the fall. For the College year 1916-17 six elect- 

 ive courses on forestry subjects were listed in the College catalogue, four 

 open to seniors and juniors in agriculture and two for short course students 

 in agriculture. The comparatively large number of students registering 

 for the first term courses makes it probable that the teaching of forestry 

 will become an important part of the State Forester's duties. Other courses 

 will from time to time be added to the curriculum and as the teaching 

 work increases, in order not to restrict the activities along State and Ex- 

 periment Station lines, additions to the force will be absolutely necessary. 

 The question of offering a four year course leading to the degree of 

 Bachelor of Science in Forestry has already arisen. In the judgement of 

 the State Forester this should not be done at present but as a demand for 

 graduates trained in forestry becomes apparent in the State a four year 

 course may well be offered. The greatest need at present is to encourage 

 men who are to graduate in agriculture to elect sufficient forestry work 

 during their course so that they may better manage the woodlands on their 

 home farms, spread a knowledge of forestry in the schools they teach and 

 bring about a better understanding of the principles of caring for trees 

 and forests in the communities where they live. 



PLANS FOR IMPROVING THE WORK IN FORESTRY. 



1. Fire Prevention in Cooperation with the Government. 



Approximately 7,500,000 acres are under patrol during a period of four 

 months from September 1 to December 31. There are approximately 

 16,500,000 acres in Eastern Texas where the influence of this patrol 

 work is desirable, 9,000,000 acres of which are not being patroled at present. 

 There is need to more than double the patrol area another year and in 

 addition patrolmen should be employed not alone for four months in the 

 fall but also during two months in the spring before the vegitation becomes 

 sufficiently green to prevent the spread of fires. The present co-operative 

 agreement with the Government limits the Federal expenditures to twenty- 

 five hundred ($2500) dollars this calendar year. It may be increased, how- 

 ever, up to a limit of ten thousand ($10,000) dollars if the State provides 

 the money to offset the Federal allotment. In order to double the amount 

 of patrol work, which is urgently needed, the State expenditures for each 

 of the next two years should be increased from twenty-five hundred ($2500) 

 dollars to five thousand ($5,000.00) dollars a year so that an equal 

 amount may be obtained from the Government. By so doing the greater 

 part of the East Texas Timber Belt may be brought under a system of 

 patrol in an educational way. 



The Forestry Act should be amended so that agents and patrolmen 

 appointed by the State Forester may possess and exercise the authority 

 and power held by constables at common law thus enabling them to arrest 

 and prosecute persons violating the forest laws of the State. 



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