m8 MISC. PUBLICATION 162, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 
ficial influences of the healthy forest on soil and stream flow, on wild- 
life and human life. Lands that can best produce forest crops should 
be kept at work growing trees. 
The forester endeavors not merely to grow repeated crops of timber 
on the land, he endeavors to grow the greatest possible amount of 
timber of the most valuable kinds. He also studies how to harvest 
timber to the best advantage. He is careful in harvesting to see that 
the loggers get all the good timber possible out of each tree by cut- 
ting low stumps and using as much of the tops as they can, to leave 
the slash in such condition that there will be the least possible danger 
of fire, and to leave young trees and seed trees for a new crop (fig. 16). 
While growing timber crops, the forester does not neglect other 
benefits of the forest. He sees to it that, so far as possible, the value 
of the forest for protecting water supplies, for preventing the washing 
away of soil, for recreation, and as a home for wildlife is not 
diminished. 
FEDERAL FORESTRY 
Forestry work by the Federal Government had its beginning in 1876. 
when an agent was appointed in the Department of Agriculture to 
study general forest conditions. In 1881 a division of forestry was 
created, but its staff was so small that it could do little more than at- 
tempt to gather information and give advice. » 
In these early years the forests on the vast public domain of the West 
had no protection and in the latter part of the last century were 
threatened with extinction by fire and reckless cutting. Congress 
sought to remedy this condition by conferring upon the President in 
1891 the right to establish forest reserves. This act, however, made no 
provision for the protection of the forests. It was not until 1897 that 
Congress passed another act providing for the systematic management 
of the reserves. which at that time were under administration of the 
Secretary of the Interior. 
It was soon apparent that scientific forestry was necessary for the 
proper management of the reserves, and officials of the Department 
of the Interior requested the aid of the experts in the Bureau of 
Forestry in the Department of Agriculture in the solution of technical 
problems. Later they recommended the transfer of the reserves to 
the Department of Agriculture. In 1905 the reserves were transferred 
to the Bureau of Forestry, which then became the Forest Service. 
Two years later the reserves were designated “national forests,” and 
were grouped for administrative purposes into several districts. There 
are now 10 of these groups, known as national-forest regions, with a 
regional forester in charge of each. 
The Chief of the Forest Service is administrator of all the regions, 
and is responsible directly to the Secretary of Agriculture. Assist- 
ing him is an Associate Chief. In addition, his staff consists of six 
Assistant Chiefs and a Chief of Finance and Accounts. The regional 
foresters are also responsible to the Chief, and their offices follow 
the same organization plan as the Chief’s in Washington. 
There are 160 national forests, covering approximately 178,000,000 
acres. Most of these forests are in the West and were set aside from 
lands already owned by the Government. Under the Weeks law, 
passed in 1911, the Government has purchased lands for the purpose 
