The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-12-10
TO PRESERVE FORESTS
Report of the Commissioner of
the Land Office.
THE WORK IN MONTANA
A National Forestry System to BE Els
tablished-To Insure q Permanent
Supply of Timber Protec-
ton From Fire.

Missoula. Dec. 9.-The commissioner
Of the general and Office in his annual
report to h secretary of the interior
calls especial attention to the organI-
zation OF that branch of his depart
ment which has to deal with the public
forests under the reservation act. The
reservations set apart by the celebrat-
ed Cleveland proclamation of Feb. %.
1897. In the Bitter Root mountains. the
upper F1athead country and the main
range In the Blackfoot country are the
ones that have especial interest for
the readers OF the Standard. and the
work that has been lone within the
bounds OF these reserves will indicate
somewhat the course that the depart
ment intends to follow in carrying
out the provisions Of the forestry act,
under whose authority the reserva-
tions are set aside. The commission
er OF the general land office calls atten-
ton in the report referred to above to
the following leading features of the
work OF the forestry commission:
First-That the department IL at
present engaged in inaugurating a ma
tional forestry system. the initial steps
taken thus far In that direction con-
sisting OF the establishment al various
forest reservations and the placing Of
a graded force OF forest officers in
charge OF the same.
Second-That the object Of the for
est reservation being to protect and
improve the forests for the purpose of
securing n permanent supply OF timoer
for the people and of insuring condi-
tons favorable TO n continuous water
How, In the management of the same
all regulations are framed to bring
about a rational use of the reserves.
Third-To this end the two subjects
or inaugurating a system Of timber
cutting that will insure the satisfac-
ton of the local demands for timber.
To regulate .the use of grazing lands
within h reserves. have largely en-
gagged the attention of this office dur
ing the past year I'm connection with
devising a patrol system that will in
sure efficient protection to the forests
from the scourge of fire.
h commissioner in his report and
In the official correspondence. dweIls
at length upon the fact that the de-
partment Is keenly alive Ia the needs
OF the lumber trade IA a legitimate
business and Of the large and impor-
tant industry OF sheep grazing. and is
directing Its work with a view To con
serving the interests of both these IN
dustries. In this connection the COM
missioner says: I'm respect TO the
trade. the manifest need of the
people at the hands of the govern
ment Is not only liberal and judicious
legislation to open legitimate ways of
securing needed supplies Of public tim
Der. but, equally. legislation which
shall effectually restrain all unjustifa-
BILE despoiling of the public domain OF
Its timber and that. I'm consequence,
there Is Imperative need for the pass
age OF a law to repeal the numerous
undesirable timber laws respecting
timber on unsurveyed lands. and i'm
their stead make adequate provision
for the protection and use Of tn. tim
Der on such lands"
As illustrating what II is hoped may
he accomplished by the proper devel-
opment OF this forestry system. the
commissioner i'm his report. cites the
instance OF India, where the systemat-
ic control of forests is OF comparative
ly recent date. the public forests are
made to produce a revenue OF $1,000
600 annually. In Prussia. where the
work is scientifically done. the expen-
ditures amount To $4,000. 900 each year
n the revenues to S14. 900. 900.
The report In its entirety Is an in
document. The standard Of
fee Is indebted for n COPY To Superin-
tendent Collins of the forestry COM
After reviewing the estab-
lishment OF the several reserves. the
commissioner takes up several impor-
tant subjects In connection with the
carrying out OF the purpose Of the res
laws. He says that the expe-
OF n year has shown that the
chief danger which threatens the pub
lie forests il the fires that each sum-
mer destroy millions of feet of timber.
1t is estimated that. in the past S5
years. more than II. 200. 600. 900 feet of
timber have thus been destroyed. The
direct effect OF these fires in DESTROY
ing timber is not the only one to be
considered. as the indirect results in
fnjuring the flow OF streams and af-
fecting the agricultural Industries de-
pendent upon them are OF serious i'm
port.
'Next to fires says the report.
sheep grazing constitutes the most
serious difficulty to be considered in
administering certain OF the reserves.
Present regulations allow the pastur-
ing of stock on the public lands i'm res
so long as IL appears hat
injury Is not being done TO the forest
growth and the rights OF others are
not thereby jeopardized. II has been
found necessary, however. to prohibit.
for the present. the p~asturing OF sheep
in all OF the reserves except those in
~ SAaAfS VI oi'tNh anu NarullkNons
for the reason that sheep grazing has
found to be injurious to the for
est cover" The report states further
that Investigations are being made to
determine in what districts the sheep
may be allowed to Craze without ar
fecting the forest. and as soon as
prope regulations are established. per-
mits Will be granted wherever posi-
BILE.
OF especial local importance is that
portion Of the report which deals with
the organization OF the executive force
OF the forestry commission. The res
have been divided into n
districts. under as many superlntend-
ents, each OF these officers having un-
der his supervision and direction sew
eral forest supervisors in immediate
charge OF the respective reservations
assigned TO them. each OF whom has.
in turn. under his personal direction.
lumber OF forest whose pri-
duty Is to control the reserves.
- ~AxAw flra=t ar.1 anA tEaan.aSa-