16 



timber is prevented. Since the transfer of the reserves to the Forest 

 Service over a year ago business methods in the disposal of timber 

 have been simplified and the volume of sales has greatly increased. 

 In the fiscal year ending June 30, 1906, returns from this source 

 exceeded $200,000, to which should be added nearly $40,000 for timber 

 trespass and nearly $3,000 for timber settlements. 



The section of inspection comprises timber inspection and logging 

 inspection. The first sees that the principles of forestry are applied 

 wherever timber is cut on forest reserves; the second keeps watch 

 over the logging and scaling done under regulations imposed by the 

 Service. 



The section of cooperation has the supervision of work through which 

 the Service gives assistance to private owners in the management of 

 their forest lands. 



Private owners of timber lands, large or small, may secure the aid 

 of the Forest Service in the care of their lands under a plan of coop- 

 eration fully outlined in Circular No. 21. Any owner who wishes to 

 learn whether forestry might be profitable to him may apply to the 

 Forest Service for a working plan. An agent of the Service is then 

 sent to examine the forest. If the piece of woodland is small, as in farm 

 woodlots, and management is practicable, a plan is outlined on the spot 

 and carefully explained to the owner. In the case of large tracts the 

 preparation of a working plan requires a more prolonged study on 

 the ground. The agent sent to examine the tract therefore first finds 

 out whether a sufficiently good opening for paying management exists 

 to justifj^ the outlay. His report is submitted to the owner, with an 

 estimate of the cost of preparing the plan if a plan is found desirable. 



If the owner desires the working plan, a force of men is sent to 

 collect the necessary data. A thorough examination of the tract- is 

 made both from the forester's and from the lumberman's points of 

 view. The merchantable and immature trees upon sample strips are 

 counted and their diameter measured, and from these data the stand 

 on the whole tract is calculated. Volume and rate of growth are 

 ascertained for the important species through tree analj^ses — that is, 

 through measurements of felled trees and counts of their annual rings. 

 Studies are made of reproduction, of the danger from fire, grazing, 

 and insect attack, and of the best means of preventing such injuries. 

 Market and transportation facilities are carefully investigated, and the 

 yield of timber and the character and distribution of the forest are 

 mapped. 



When these facts have been collected they are worked up into the 

 plan, which takes into account the special needs or purpose of the 

 owner, as, for instance, to secure perm, nent supplies of mining tim- 

 bers, to maintain a game preserve, or to protect a watershed. The 

 recommendations in the plan enable the owner to derive from the forest 



