(p. 75)
 
 

All pay vouchers of forest supervisors, rangers, and guards must be prepared, signed, and certified in duplicate upon Form No. 3. Supervisors will not certify their own pay vouchers, since they are certified in the office of the Forester. They will certify their subordinates' pay vouchers when the number of days for which payment is claimed is correct. When the number of days' service claimed is not correct, they will forward the pay vouchers uncertified and accompanied by a statement of the days for which salary is not due and the reasons for its disallowance.

 The Fiscal Regulations of the Department of Agriculture provide that if pay be at an annual or monthly rate, Sundays and legal holidays, (January 1, February 22, May 30, July 4, the first Monday of September, Thanksgiving Day, and December 25), will be included in the period of service. In accordance with this regulation no deductions in the pay of forest rangers or other officers of the Forest Service (on a monthly or annual rate of compensation) will be made merely on the ground that no work was performed on those days. If the best interest of the reserve will not suffer from the absence of a forest ranger from his district on any particular Sunday or holiday, he may be permitted to omit his regular duties or leave the reserve for that day if he so desires, and his pay vouchers may be certified without deduction. On the other hand, if the best interests of the reserve demand that he be in his district and on active duty on any particular Sunday or holiday, and if he refuses to work or leases his district under these circumstances, certification should be withheld.

 In filling in pay vouchers the space in the upper left-hand corner under the words "Appointment dated" should be left blank. After the words "For service rendered as," only the title of the forest officer, such as ranger or supervisor, should be inserted.

 Officers allowed a per diem will enter as a separate item the dates for which it is due, but will not enter the amount.

 The name entered at the top of a pay voucher must be identical with the signature.

(p. 76)
 
 

Temporary "laborers" (see p. 91) who do not receive appointment from the Secretary of Agriculture will be paid direct by the office of the Forest, when the amount due is more than $10, upon vouchers, Form A. If the amount due is $10 or less, it must be paid by the supervisor and included in his monthly expense account, supported by subvoucher, Form No. 4b.
 
 

The law allows the granting of leave with pay, not to exceed fifteen days in one calendar year, to all officers of the Forest Service on an annual rate of compensation and permanently stationed outside the District of Columbia. It can not be granted temporary laborers serving on a daily or month rate. (See Appendix, p. 108.)

 Officers whose service is continuous may receive the full fifteen days' leave of absence at any time during the year, provided they have been in the service twelve months. at any time during their first twelve months' employment they are entitled only to the leave which has accrued, a the rate of one and one-fourth days a month.

 Officers whose service is periodical, including forest guards and rangers employed only during the summer, are entitled at any time only to the leave which has accrued, at the rate of one and one-fourth days a month, during their service in the current year. Thus a guard appointed July 1 may receive one and one-fourth days at any time during August; or, if he has taken none, two and one-half days in September.

 Sundays and legal holidays are not charged against annual leave when included in the period of absence from duty, thus but two days' leave is required to cover Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.

 When it will not be detrimental to the interest of their reserves, supervisors may grant their subordinates leave under the above regulations, in every case attaching a report thereof upon a separate sheet to the pay voucher of the officer for the month in which the leave is taken. No subordinate officer may take leave without permission from the supervisor. No supervisor may take leave without instructions from the Forester.

(p. 77)
 
 

Supervisors may grant leave without pay when urgent private business, family sickness, or an absolute necessity requires a subordinate's absence from his field of duty; but only for as long as is necessary, and in no case for more than thirty days. Leave without pay may be granted without reference to the period of prior service, but report thereof must be attached to the pay voucher, as in the case of leave with pay.
 
 

The absence of a forest officer from his district, or from the reserve, absolutely required to obtain supplies, horseshoeing, mail, or for other purposes necessary to the performance of his duty, maybe considered actual service, and does not require leave. Such absence must not be longer than is absolutely necessary and must not exceed four days in any one month. Where it is practicable for an officer to obtain all facilities within his district, he will be allowed no absence for this purpose. Supervisors are required to be familiar with the situation in each case and to approve only necessary absence.
 
 

The Fiscal Regulations of the Department of Agriculture must be followed literally in incurring expenses and preparing accounts, to secure their reimbursement.

 No expenditure may be made without previous written authorization, but by order of the Secretary of Agriculture the Forester will sign letter of authorization to forest officers when necessary. Such letters are drawn so as to facilitate the settlement of accounts for expenses incurred in the administration and protection of the forest reserves, but the aggregate amount of expenses incurred therunder must not exceed the amount allotted, and must be sanctioned by previous instructions issued by the Forester, except in emergencies, for which provision is made in the Fiscal Regulations.

(p. 78)

 The terms and amount of a letter of authorization must cover every expense incurred, including the purchase of supplies, traveling expenses, whether on transportation request or actually paid, and the pay of any assistant not appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture.

 The terms and total amount which may be expended under a letter of authorization is subject to amendment when necessary. When and amendment is required, or if any doubt arises as to the propriety of incurring certain expenses under the letter of authorization, forest officers will communicate promptly with the Forester.

 An account for reimbursement of expenses incurred for any purpose, under a letter of authorization, must be prepared in duplicate upon Form No. 4, in accordance with the Fiscal Regulations and with the printed instructions of the Fiscal Regulations for the filling out and use of such subvouchers must be followed closely.

 In the use of subvouchers 4a, 4b, and 4c the detailed instructions of the Fiscal Regulations for the filling out and use of such subvouchers must be followed closely.

 When authorized, railroad transportation may be paid for and entered in an expense account or, if continuous for 100 miles or more, secured through a Government transportation request. Applications for transportation requests should be made to the Forester by letter or, in an emergency, by telegram. The cost of tickets secured therewith is charged against the supervisor's letter of authorization, and must be reported upon form 4c with his regular monthly account.
 
 

All rangers, in addition to recording the necessary information upon the regular blank forms for free use, timber sales, supervision of cutting, etc., are required:

 1. To keep a diary in the notebook furnished for the purpose, in which each ranger will enter for each day of service his movement, the work performed, and the status of reserve work or reserve business upon which he has been engaged.

 2. To make a report of service, for which a regular form is provided and for which the ranger's diary furnishes the basis, at the end of each month to the supervisor. This report must show the ranger's movements and the work performed each day.

(p. 79)
 
 

1. Monthly report of grazing permits issued.
2. Monthly report upon progress of timber sales.
3. Annual statement of free use business.
4. Annual report, at close of grazing season, upon grazing business and conditions of the range.
5. Annual statement of cabin building, trail construction, and other miscellaneous work, due December 15.
6. Annual report on fires, due December 15.
 
 

7. Reports upon applications for any purpose, reports ordered by the Forester, and special reports required for the good of the reserve.
 
 

Every supervisor is required to record the condition and business of his reserve upon the prescribed forms and under the following heads. Every regular and special report of the supervisor or of his subordinates is summarized in these records:

 1. Ranger service.
2. Free use of timber.
3. Sale of timber.
4. Forest mapping and estimating.
5. Grazing.
6. Claims and patents.
7. Special occupancy.
8. Rights of way.
9. Fires.
10. Trespass.
11. Miscellaneous work.
12. Accounts.
Every supervisor is required to keep a diary, in which he will record for each day of service his work and movement and the progress and notable happenings of his reserve.

(p. 80)
 
 

Every supervisor must keep up at least two maps of his reserve on which important work and other information are noted for convenient reference. One map should show the location of administrative work, such as sale and free-use cuttings; special-privilege sites; road, trail, or ditch rights of way; trails and cabins built by rangers; ranger districts and grazing districts.

 The other map illustrates private occupancy. It must show all patented lands and claims of every kind except individual mining claims to small to plat. Large groups of mining claims or largely located areas should be indicated, also towns, well-known ranch houses, and all human improvements independent of forest-reserve permits. The necessary information concerning patents and claims should be secured from the local land offices, and if necessary from offices of surveyors-general and county records, by the supervisor, or rangers detailed by him, at times when absence from the reserve is practicable. Authorization for the necessary traveling expenses will be furnished upon request to the Forester.
 
 

To facilitate filing, every letter or report from a forest officer should contain but one subject. Every application, sale, privilege, trespass, or other transaction identified by an individual name or number, must be treated separately.

 Never write a letter of transmittal in forwarding any document, unless some special statement about it is needed. Indorse the document "Respectfully forwarded to (give name)," add your recommendation, if any is required, sign, and mail.

 Use direct, clear-cut language. Avoid unwieldy words where shorter, simpler ones will express the idea equally well. Be concise. Avoid laborious statement, the essence of which might be well expressed in half the space. Never use the substance of the letter received as a preamble to the reply. Unless the incoming letter has already been acknowledged and further reference to it is necessary, its contents should not be indicated in the initial sentence of the reply.

(p. 81)

 Except on printed forms, writing must be on one side of the sheet only.

 All correspondence and reports must be in ink or indelible pencil.

 Supervisors are expected to correspond with the Forester in typewriting, except when away from their offices. Machines will be furnished them upon requisition.

 Letters and reports of subordinates transmitted by a supervisor to the Forester must be originals, not copies made by the supervisor. The latter will keep copies for his own records or, when necessary, request the return of the originals.

 Rangers will report only to the supervisor or to officers to whom he delegates authority. They will correspond with the Forester only upon personal matters or to make complaints.
 
 

REG. 64. All forest officers will cooperate with the game wardens of the State or Territory in which they serve, so far as they can without interference with their regular reserve work. When authorized to do so by the Forester and by the State Game Warden, they will act as wardens, with full power to enforce the local laws. If not so authorized they will inform the State officials of all violations discovered. (See Appendix, p. 107.)

 Rangers will inform all hunters and travelers of the local game laws and endeavor to prevent their violation. This can best be done by courtesy and tact.

 If actual violation of the law is discovered by a ranger, he will at once notify the nearest game warden, if practicable, and report this action to the supervisor. If unable to communicate with a game warden, or if no action follows, he will give the facts to the supervisor, who will transmit them to the proper State authority.

(p. 82)

 Reg. 65. When any forest reserve or part of a reserve is made a game refuge by the President or by Congress, or when any Federal law or regulation affects the protection of game, the forest officers will arrest offenders as for violation of any other law or regulation governing reserves. (See Appendix, p. 122.)

 Reg. 66. Where trapping for fur on a reserve is legal, trappers must obey all regulations, and must get timber for cabins through free use permits. If over six months' occupancy is desired, a special occupancy permit must be secured.