4IO ECONOMICS OF FORESTRY. 



eluding two in Alaska, varying in size from a few 

 thousand to several million acres. 



The administration of these reserves is still of 

 the crudest kind, and forestry practice is as yet 

 hardly attempted. In fact, the organization of the 

 forestry service is still in embryonic condition. 

 The administration of the reserves lies with the 

 Department of the Interior, through a Forestry 

 Division, under the Commissioner of the General 

 Land Office. Meanwhile the technical knowledge 

 is gradually developed in the Department of Agri- 

 culture. 



The Forestry Division of the Department of 

 Agriculture, dignified by being elevated to a 

 bureau in 1901, is still without administrative 

 function and occupies only an advisory position. 

 But by an increase in appropriations ($146,280 

 for the year 1902) it has been able to extend its 

 field considerably. It makes so-called working 

 plans for the timber lands of private forest owners 

 and planting plans, and investigates forest condi- 

 tions, rates of growth, and other matters of in- 

 terest, as before, only on an extended scale. It 

 should, of course, be in charge of the public forest 

 reservations, and introduce such technical manage- 

 ment of the same as the case may permit. 



To add to the curiosities and incongruities of the 

 situation a third agency, the Geological Survey, has 

 in charge the survey and description of the forest 

 reservations with a view of delimiting the areas to 



