Forestry Notes. 



139 



FORESTRY NOTES. 



Edited by J. B. Lull. 



Forest Reserves. bulletin No. 142, issued by the Forest 



Service on December 8, 1906, gives briefly 

 an interesting exposition of the w^orkings of the National forest 

 poHcy in the use of reserves. That the forest reserves are rapidly 

 being changed from objects of Government charity to sources 

 of revenue is conclusively shown by figures comparing the re ■ 

 ceipts during the fiscal year 1905- 1906 as against the previous 

 year: The total revenue brought in vi^as $767,219.96, as against 

 $60,142.62 for the previous year. In timber sales there were 

 disposed of for immediate or early removal nearly 300,000,000 

 board feet of lumber, at stumpage prices ranging up to four 

 dollars per thousand, as against 96,060,258 board feet, with a 

 maximum price of two dollars and fifty cents per thousand, in 

 1904-1905. During the last fiscal year the area of forest reserves 

 was increased from 85,693,422 acres to 106,999,138 acres. 



It must not be inferred that this revenue has been so greatly 

 increased at the expense of reserve property. It has resulted 

 from the fuller utilization of forest resources. Mature timber 

 in which deterioration offsets growth has been removed, resulting 

 in a betterment of forest conditions because it was cut in such 

 a way that reproduction of valuable species followed. Grazing 

 has been sold, but under regulations which prevent harm to 

 forage. Privileges of various kinds have combined to swell the 

 revenue from reserves while making them yearly more valuable. 



During its last session Congress enacted the wise provision 

 that ten per cent of the gross receipts from forest reserves be 

 made over to the States in which they are situated, for the benefit 

 of the counties which would otherwise receive no revenue from 

 a part of their area. California's allotment this year will be 

 $8,192.12. This amount is exceeded only by the States of Colo- 

 rado and Utah. 



The saving of reserve property which resulted from the organ- 

 ized care of the reserve force was undoubtedly worth more than 

 the whole cost of administering the reserves. Only about eight 

 fires of any consequence occurred on the reserves during the 

 calendar year 1905, a season of extreme dryness. This small 

 number was due in large part to the system of patrol, which leads 

 to the discovery of fires before much damage has been done. 



