HEARINGS BEFORE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE. 437 
Secretary Wirson. It will lessen it very materially. It will add to 
our agricultural work. It will be for this committee to determine, 
when you consider the added officials that would come over to the 
Department of eres in that transfer, where these economies 
would come in, and you could readily see it. 
Mr. Bow1z. Would it disturb your line of thought for me to ask 
you, in this connection, what particular additional work is desired 
that will call for an extra $100,000 of appropriation for the Bureau 
of Forestry? It is $350,000 now, and it is proposed to raise it to 
$450,000. 
Secretary Wiison. Every week or so there are additions made to 
the forest reserves of the country. There are 70,000,000 of acres 
now, or such a matter, and 
Mr. Bowrs. The extent is increasing? 
Secretary Wizson. The problems of that forestry investigation are 
growing. We are studying the harvesting of woods, we are studying 
the planting of woods, we are studying the strength of wood, we 
are studying the enemies of wood—all along those lines. We have 
hardly got to the point where the work is quite complete in its 
magnitude. 
Mr. Bowie. You think the continued efficiency depends on an 
increased appropriation, to some extent? 
Secretary Wiuson. I tell you what I do when I go to make esti- 
mates. I send for each man who is to spend the money and talk the 
matter all over with him. For a good many of those bureaus that have 
been created in the last six or seven years, we are not asking heavy 
increases. This is the heaviest one, because our forests are almost 
gone, gentlemen. 
The Cuarrman. It is a new subject in the United States. 
Secretary Witson. It is a new thing. We can see the end out there, 
and I have thought it wise in that case to recommend to you this heavy 
appropriation for this year in order to enable us to do enough of work 
along those lines. Private corporations come to us and pay all the 
expenses of our men if we will only give them working plans. West 
Point Academy came to us the other day; they did not know what to 
do with their woods. We sent a man there to show them working 
plans. Private individuals, corporations, who own thousands of acres, 
come to us and say, ‘‘ We will pay all the expenses now if you will 
only tell us what to do;” and we send scientists and tell them what to 
do. The question of rehabilitating the United States with trees and 
what kind of trees in the several localities are the great questions, 
gentlemen. Of course, if there should be no additional appropriation 
we would go on with the force we have and do the best we could. 
Mr. Brooxs. If there were no increase, the number of men you 
have now would have to be spread over a wider area, would there not? 
Secretary Wirson. Yes; and the area of the United States is grow- 
ing steadily. ; 
Mr. Brooxs. In one State I know of they are now contemplating 
adding nine forest reserves—more than double what we now have. 
Secretary Witson. They make forest reserves and call on the 
Department to see where we advise bringing them in. 
Mr. Ropry. I am glad of that, hccause in our section they have 
been taking in all the pasture land we have got. | — 
Secretary Witson. | think there should be animals pasturing in the 
