12 DEPARTMENTAL EEPOKTS. 



all instructions and letters from the separate offices pass over the 

 desk of the district officer concerned. In questions involving sub- 

 jects in more than one office a decision is reached thru cooperation. 



(2) The organization of the inspection, both of the technical and 

 business management of the forest reserves and of all other branches 

 of the Forest Service. The section of inspection was not intended to 

 reduce the actual supervision of field work by the separate offices, but 

 to concentrate general inspection directly under the Forester. As 

 rapidly as practicable, men ■\^ho by special training and experience 

 are fitted to inspect forest work, in one or more of its branches, were 

 assigned to the Section of Inspection. The inspectors in no case give 

 orders, but make themselves useful on the ground by consultation 

 with the men Avhose work they inspect. They report directly to the 

 Forester on the efficiency and integrity of the personnel. 



(3) Marked improvement in all branches of forest reserve work, 

 resulting from the assignment of specific duties upon the reserves to 

 each office in the Service within its own field. 



(4) Greatly increased responsibility laid upon reserve officers. 

 As rapidly as possible the duties of the AVashington office toward 

 the forest reserves are being reduced to general administration, scien- 

 tific investigations, inspection, and record. 



(5) The publication of a second edition of The Use Book, or 

 regulations and instructions for the use of the National forest 

 reserves, in which the whole service cooperated. This edition shows 

 a gratifying advance over the first edition in simplicity and the 

 practical application of general policies to the settlement of ques- 

 tions on the ground, and goes far to standardize technical methods 

 on the forest reserves. It has greatly promoted the use of the 

 reserves. 



(6) Increase in the spirit and effectiveness of the reserve force by 

 constant intercourse between field and office, by the vigorous appli- 

 cation of civil-service rules, by the removal of unfit members of the 

 force, and by frequent inspection, which gives help and encourage- 

 ment to local officers. 



Six supervisor's meetings were held at convenient points, whose 

 attendance included nearly all forest supervisors. At these meet- 

 ings the regulations and instructions of The Use Book were fully 

 explained, and unsettled questions arising in the local administra- 

 tion of the forest reserves were thoroly discust. 



The total area of National forest reserves on June 30, 1905, was 

 85,693,422 acres. During the past fiscal year new reserves have been 

 created, with a total area of 21,586,957 acres (including additions to 

 existing reserves amounting to 9,163,458 acres), and eliminations 

 Avere made to the extent of 281,241 acres. The total area on June 30, 

 1906, was therefore 106,999,138 acres. 



