416 HEARINGS BEFORE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE. 
Mr. Scorr. Do you think that the work you are now doing could be 
better done if you had the administrative work also? 
Mr. Price. Yes, sir; because we would know a all times just what 
the problems were; we could solve them as they came up, and practi- 
cal forestry would govern the work throughout. 
Mr. Bowie. You recommend, then, the transfer of the Bureau of 
Forestry in the Interior Department to your Bureau in the Agricul- 
tural Department? 
Mr. Price. Yes, sir. 
Mr. Bowrr. And the consolidation of jurisdiction ? 
Mr. Price. Yes, sir. 
Mr. Bowrz. Would that operate to produce a greater economy 
or not? 
Mr. Price. That is strongly my opinion, as regards effort. 
Mr. Scorr. You have just answered my question, as I understood 
you, that it would not involve any economy ‘ 
Mr. Price. You mean that it would cost less to administer the 
reserves than now? 
Mr. Scorr. Yes. 
Mr. Price. No, sir; I do not think so. 
Mr. Apams. You mean economy of effort? 
Mr. Price. Yes; economy of effort. I do not think that we are 
spending enough money now on the forest reserves. Their protec- 
tion is not sufficient to keep fires off. The reserves are not as well 
administered as a good many private holdings. 
Mr. Scorr. It is practically impossible to prevent fires by any prac- 
tical administration / 
Mr. Price. Oh, no. 
Mr. Scorr. You would have to have an army brigade to do it? 
Mr. Pricr. Not in order to prevent fires; an army can not puta fire 
out, when it is once well started, but it is comparatively easy for one 
man to stop it, if he sees it soon enough. 
Mr. Bowrs. What is the destruction, annually, from fires? 
Mr. Prics. The destruction in the United States amounted to $10,- 
000,000 last year. It has been so estimated. 
Mr. Bowrs. How much is spent by the Government on that? 
Mr. Pricr. Ido not know what the amount is. That would be a 
part of the cost of administration, because the rangers are supposed to 
put the fires out. It would be hard to differentiate that from the total 
amount expended in reserve administration. 
Mr. Bowir. Do they have horses? 
Mr. Price. They have horses. They are expected to provide their 
ee themselves, but in order to make their beats they should have 
orses. 
Mr. Bowir. Where does this $300,000 go; how many employees 
have you? 
Mr. Price. In the Bureau of Forestry ? 
Mr. Bowtz. Yes. 
Mr. Prics. Three hundred and twenty, during the past field season. 
Mr. Bowis. Three hundred and twenty ? 
Mr. Price. Three hundred and twenty last summer. The number 
is now 258 employees. 
Mr. Brooks. Have you any specific instance showing what one or 
two men can do in regard to putting out tires? 
