The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-03-28
GOVERNMENT
PURCHASE MORE
FOREST LAND
NATIONAL FOREST RESERVATION
COMMITTEE ANNOUNCES PLAN
LOOKING TO PURCHASE OF AID.
OPTIONAL PROPERTY IN THE
EAST.
Special to The Journal.


Washington, March 27.-The DEPART
mentf Of agriculture announces, through
a circular which is just coming from
the press. that it is ready to begin
operations looking to the purchase of
land by the National Forest Reserva-
ton Commission created under the
Weeks law.
This law was passed with special
reference to the creation OF national
forests in the Appalachian and White
Mountains. Under it the secretary of
agriculture is to examine, locate, and
recommend to the commission for pur-
chase such lands as in his Judgment
may be necessary for regulating the
flow; Of navigable streams. The cir
culat which is now being printed is
intended to give information to the
pubis5 as to where and what kinds of
land are wanted. Owners of land the
purchase of which will be considered
by the government are expected on the
basis of this information to make
known to the forest service, which will
conduct the work for the department
of agriculture, their desire to sell.
Copies of the circulars may be OBJ
tanned by applying to the forest ser
vice,
The law is not restricted to particu-
lar regions, except that lands may be
bought only in the states whose legis-
latures have consented to the acquisi-
ton of land by the United States for
the purpose of preserving the navi-
gability of streams. The states which
have already taken the necessary ac-
| ton are Maine, New Hampshire, Mary
| land, Virginia, West Virginia, North
Carolina, Tennessee, South Carolina
! and Georgia.
The first lands to be examined for
purchase will be in the Appalachian
and White Mountains, which because
Of their altitude, steepness and lack of
protection are in a class by themselves.
| The area which is believed to need
protection is much larger than the
| government can purchase. Much diff
| ference exists, however, between differ
ent parts of the region. Careful ex-
aminations which have been going on
for the last ten years have proved
| that the conditions which affect stream
| flow to an extreme extent are to be
found in relatively limited areas,
which are scattered more OF less wide
| ". By careful selection it is believed
that much can be done for the perma-
nent Improvement Of the watersheds
with the purchase Of a relatively small
part of the land.
A blank form for the offer of land
accompanies the circular. Additional
copies of this blank form may be had
by writing the forest service at Wash
| ington. The kinds of land which will
be considered for purchase, if they
lie within the designated areas, are set
| forth by the circular as follows:
Timbered lands may be bought eth
er with the timber standing on them or
with reservation by the owner of the
right to cut the timber under certain
rules to provide for perpetuation of
the forest. These rules will form
part OF the agreement for the pur-
chase of the land. Since, however, the
government can not pay high prices,
| it is not regarded as probable that
much land bearing a heavy stand of
merchantable timber can be bought.
| Culled and cut-over lands may be
| bought, as we'll as land covered with
brush which is useful for watershed
protection, burned land, and abandon
ed farm land. whether cleared or par
TALLY or wholly covered by young tim
| Der growth. Good agricultural lands
will not be considered. Owners may
reserve the right to remove valuable
mineral deposits which are known to
exist.
Proposals will be received for small
as well as for large tracs, although
small tracts can be examined only
where the purchase OF considerable
total of land in the same neighborhood
is under consideration. With regard to
the price which can be paid, Secretary