The Monticellonian., 1902-11-06
GENERAL LAND OFFICE.
Items From the Annual Report of the Commissioner of the Gen.
 eral Land Office.
PUBLIC LANDS DISPOSED OF IN l9Ol-2.
speciaIApproprint R Reccomm nd ed for Surveys in Alaska ana other Purposes-Results Follow ing the Proper Policing of For ested Government Lands.

| NOV. 9.- Tt port of Binger Hermann, commission
 CT of the general land office, shows
 that the public land disposed of by
 the government during the year az 1 gfegated 19,4sS, ,535 acres, an increase
 of 3,925,739 acres over the previous
 year. Of the aggregate 1,757,79@ acres
 were sold for cash, 17,614,792 acres
 were embraced in miscellaneous en- | tries, and the remainder were Indian l lands. Commissioner Hermann rec
 ommends a large appropriation speei= | fcally for surveys in Alaska; legisla-
 tion regarding railroad rights of way
 granted under existing laws so that
 parties who have expended large sums of money for power plants, etc, shall
 be protected against subsequent set | tiers, and a large appropriation to | provide for an increased number of | special agents to prevent timber | depredations and to protect public l lands from unlawful entry. The re-
 port also renews previous recommen-
 dations for compulsory attendance of
 witnesses in hearings before district | land offices; for repeal of existing laws regarding timber on the unre- l served public lands. and substitution
 therefor of a general law providing ample protection for the forests and | furnishing means by which settlers, | miners and others may secure q suffi-
 cient supply of timber for their legiti- mate needs; legislation to protect 
 l game and fish in forest reserves: ex- | tension of the boundaries of Yellow | stone national park, and legislation l giving the president general author 1 fly to set apart as national parks pub lie land tracts having scientific or his toric interest, or containing springs of medicinal properties. It is urged also, that the law as to exchange of lands embraced in forest reserves held | by private owners for public lands
 not In reservation be changed so as
 to secure an approximation in value
 of the lands relinquished with those selected in lieu thereof On October l last there were 54 forest reserves.
 embracing 60, ,175.765 acres an increase | of almost 14.000000 acres since the | last report. During the fiscal year there were 1863 forest fires discov- cred, which burned over S7.f99 acres. The econstantly-decrea area burned l over Is said to demonstrate the eff
 cfencY of the government forestry | force The commissioner says that
 the withdrawal and proper policing | or the forested lands of the govern
 ment during the year has shown the l following results;
 l. The work has proved self-sup. | porting.
 2. It has, in addition, brought in a revenue to the government.
 ;. Needed timber supplies have
 been placed within lawful reach of the public.
 1. Timber Expectations within the reserve limits have practically ceased.
 X little over 5,000.000 acres of land were certified and patented to rail- ways during the year under the land grants made by congress to aid in the construction of railroads. During the season the interior department allowed l,197,000 sheep to enter elght of the reservations for specified periods, the grazing to be confired to specified areas. and 459,137 head of cattle and horses to graze in 3S of | the reservations.
 Concerning reforestation the re- port says:
 Assuming that the reforestation of dah t1 serves, where sufficient moisture pre- valls to make the germinaton of seeds of the native trees possible, | might be expected to result in good time, if the occurrence of devastat- Ing fires could be reduced to a mini mum and the grazing of stock re- strained within proper limits and re- duced to safe lasis, the forest force has been required to make extra ex- ertion to prevent damage by fire, and to keep the office fully informed rela- tive to the effects of stock grazing and to keep out stock not licensed to enter the reserve, and all the evi- fences point to almost unyarying suc-
 ,ess.
 The forest trees are coming back, not only where there is plentiful rainfall, and not q little hope is found in the fact that the native trees are reproducing themselves in the drier portions of the country where the fires are kept out and where grazing is restrained within | reasonable limits, and many a waste place is becoming a wilderness of verdure.''