Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1904-12-08
NATIONAL RESERVES.
GREAT FORESTS FOR WESTERN
STATES AND TERRITORIES.
Work Of stupendous Proportions Un-
dertaken and Forwarded by the
Government EureAW Of
Forestry.

Excluding the two reserves in Alaska,
which cover nearly 5000, 900 acres, there
are now In the United States 81 forest re-
serves, with combined area Of 81 1885,
974 acres. These reserves are divided
among 13 states and territories Of the
west, If they redeem arid land only to
the extent of their own areas, 1t would
mean 373,337 new farms OF 16o acres
each-for water is the VESTS greatest
need, and 1t Is now recognized that water
conservation is to be the most important
service rendered by the reserves. What
this would mean in the way Of increased
agricultural wealth 1t is easy to see.
The people Of the United States, as a
whole, have little idea Of the enormous
magnitude Of the interests affected by
the governments forest reserve policy.
Timber supply. important as this is, is a
relatively small part of the whole pur-
pose. The reclamation OF millions Of
acres Of arid land, sustained or height
ened fertility for other millions of acres
Of farm lands, and, finally, the safe
guarding for the future of pasturage for
millions Of head Of sheep and cattle are
already certain results Of that policy.
1t contemplates furnishing the present
and thousands of prospective settlers
wood, water, tillable lands, and prosper
Gus homes. Roundly stated, the pur-
pose Is to give these forest reserves
their highest utility to all who use them
now or will use them hereafter.
This Is clearly work OF stupendous
proportions Irrigation, which will prove
the salvation of millions Of acres Of these
lands, cannot realize its largest possibil-
tiles unless the watersheds Of the west
are under conservative forest manage
ment Great damage has been done
there by overgTazing, reckless lumber
ing, and, most Of all, by fires. Reserves
were established to stop this damage
and to give the forests their greatest
usefulness By conserving the water sup
ply without shutting of the supply OF
timber. On account Of the expense and
natural conditions involved, there Is 4
limit to the size of impounding reser-
voirs, hence the necessity for prevent
Ing their overflow by floods. and for
making their supply regular. that all tho
water possible may be saved for use.
Forests are the chief agency in this
work, and to maintain them is absolute
ly essential to the reclamation OF the
arid west.
This use OF forest, however, is not at
all inconsistent with its use for many
purposes. numbering, when rightly
done, is an advantage not detriment.
Grazing, when regulated. does not in
jure the forest, and prospecting, locat-
ing, and developing mines are not inter
fered with by reserve restrictions. Thus
the government, in establishing re-
serves, In no sense withdraws the for
ests from use. On the contrary, while
I'll their present uses are continued,
their greatest power for good is kept
from injury and increased in value by
the wise and careful protection afforded
by reserve management Only under
such management can these forests most
effectively aid irrigation In retaining
thousands Of square miles of waste
lands, and in building homes over vast
areas hitherto regarded as impossible Of
settlement
The bureau Of forestry has had during
the past summer Is agents in the field
investigating actual and proposed forest
reserves. II they discover that 'agricul-
tural lands, or lands more valuable for
other purposes, have been included in
reserves, they will recommend their i'm
mediate exclusion. If they find land
which will be more useful when reserved
than when not reserves, they will recon-
mend that 1t be added to an adjacent
reserve or form new one.
Often the hardest task Of the bureau
agents is in reconciling conflicting local
interests Sheep and cattle men may be
over the same grazing grounds.
or each class may be at war oyer lndi-
vidual grazing rights. Again, owners Of
farms or Of water power plants may OBJ
ject to any grazing In the forests, lest the
water supply be injured. In ell such
cases the bureau experts must examine
and report on every phase Of the Ques-
ton, that, so far as possible, absolute
Justice may be done to all interests. In
perfecting present boundaries and in
creasing reserve areas temporary local
injury to some interest Is sometimes
This Is most unfortunate.
but these occasional injuries cannot
weigh against the Importance Of the gen.
eral purpose Of forest reserve establish
ment
In all Of this work one large fact is to
be recognized. 1t is that in the execu-
ton Of the policy Of reserving from pri-
vate acquisition such parts Of the public
domain as are suited to forest growth
and most useful under permanent for
ests, q far-reaching and benefcent pol
Icy Is being carried out. Under it the
government is acting to secure perpetu-
ally In the interests Of the whole people
vast wealth-producing resources which
otherwise, under the stimulus Of imme-
date private profits from numbering,
grazing, and the like, would in no long
time be lost forever.
RARE BUDDHIST LITERATURE
rhIbetan Manuscripts on Exhibition
~