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Show REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR 21 . ' regular force employed as forest fire guards, and substantial sums were expeoded by private operators in protecting timber within units on which the stumpage had been purchased. I t is believed that with ' an additional appropriation of $25,000 for fire prevention, as much as $50,000 of the amount expended in suppression might have been saved and the destruction of large quantities of merchantable timber and young growth prevented. I t is felt that substantially increased appropriations are urgently demanded and that the gratuity appropriation of approximately $100,000, made annually since 1909 for forest protection and admin-istration on Indian lands, is less than one-half the amount that the ' interests of the Federal Government justify. The Federal Govern-ment has recognized its responsibility to assist private owners of , timb'er lands in protecting their lands and the responsibility with respect to Indian trust lands is even greater than that as to ordinary private holdings. Every time timber on Indian lands burns, the potential wealth of the Nation is reduced many times the value of the timber so destroyed. All expenses connected with the sale of stumpage on Indian lands are paid from the proceeds of sales, but it is believed that the Federal Government should share with the Indians the cost of protecting the forests from fire and insects. The Federal Government has long recognized its obligation to fur-nish educational, health, and industrial facilities for the benefit of the various Indian tribes. In recent years salesoof timber from Indian lands have dorded funds for such purposes. Foresight in' the administration of Indian affairs requires that special attention be given to the protection of resources that may contribute much to t$e future needs of the Indians and thus relieve the general public from gratuity appropriations for a dependent and impoverished people. Thus, from a purely economic standpoint a more determined effort to reduce the losses from forest fires and depredating insects on Indian lands is advisable. f IRRIGATION A survey of Indian irrigation projects was commenced in April, 1927, covering both engineering and economic phases, the primary purpose being improvement of conditions among the farmers-Indian and white-on such projects. The detail for this purpose consisted of an agricultural economist from the Department of Agriculture and one irrigation engineer from the Reclamation Service and one from the Indian Bureau. The scope of their work covers construc-tion, operation, and maintenance, repayment of irrigation charges, proper utilization of irriiated lands by both the Indians and the whites, water supply, soil fertility, availability of markets, etc. ' |