The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1913-04-29
FARMS IN FORESTS
TO Be CLASSIFIED
THIS YEAR
MEETING OF LAND-DEPARTMENT
HEADS At OGDEN IS eENE-
FIclAL TO OFFICIALS.

One of the most important confer
ences Of forest service men that has
teeE'' held this season was the meeting
ut ogden, Utah. last week of the heads
OF, the offices of lands of the several
field districts and some officials from
the. washington office for the purpose
Of discussing agricultural land CLASH
ficat,on as it applies to the segre-
eating Of areas in the national forests
to be listed for entry under the forest
homestead act. Some time ago con-
gress made a special appropriation for
this work and urged the forest serv-
ice to rush the and classification
throughout the districts this year. SO
many intricate problems are involved
in the work that the conference was
called for the purpose at arriving at
some definite understanding as to
what the term agricultural land" i'm
lilies when applied to lands situated
within national forests and to attempt
to arrive at ome general basis OF
work. r. H. Rutiedge Of this city. as
sistant district forester in charge of
the 1office of lands, attended in his
official capacity n in talking of the
meeting upon his return stated that
the exchange of ideas had resulted in
much benefit for all concerned. How
tveE" said Mr.. Rutledge, lit was
found very difficult to arrive at a
basis of work that would be applicable
to each district on account OF the
great variance in the nature of the
country, the timber growth and the
soil in the various sections of the
country.
Climatic Contour.
"One point that was discussed at
some length" said he, was climatic
contour. 1t is generally recognized
that in every locality there is a line
above, which agriculture is not prac-
teal. no matter how rich the soil or
how we'll crops may grow in lower
attitudes through the same region.
Above this line 1t was agreed that
there should be nc reservations. The
determination Of this dividing line will
be left in a great measure to the bu-
reau of soils which will be assisted,
If necessary, by the bureau Of plant
industry.
Minimum Farm Unit.
I'VE %'scrapped' considerably over
ttea question, Of. the minimum farm
unif, too,@tnis meaning THE least acre
age upon which a man can settle and
build up a home. While the service
has nc power to fix the size of these
units and while the agricultural lands
win not be divided into units, there
are many small acre tracts discovered
in our examination in the heart of the
forests and isolated from other agri-
Cultural lands that might appeal to
settlers and for which we receive APP
plications. We did not consider this
from a monitary standpoint. but took
the view that a definite amoun of
land was necessary for a man to build
and maintain a home and make q liv-
Ing. The law fixes the amount o.
land that can be taken in a forest
homestead al 100 acres. If a settler
selects a smaller tract he does SO by
choice. What we wished to know vas
the smallest tract that should be re-
served. In this as in other things we
fou.d the local conditions governed
to q great extent and this question
will be left largely to the bureau Of
Soils"
Local Field.
Speaking of the classification in dis
trict No. 1. MI. Rutledge stated that
there would be from $4,000 to 1920
available for the work, the exact
amount not having been determined.
1t is planned to cover this season
about 5000 acres in the Fortine re-
gion of the Blackfoot forest, about the
same acreage on the North fork of the
Flathead river, $4,000 acres north of
H, nners Ferry in the Pend d'Oreille
forest. 100000 acres along the south
Elk of the Flathead river in the Flat
head forest and 10000 acres in the
vicinity of Seeley lake.
I'm all of this area it Is believed
that not more than 20 per cent of the
land will be found to come within the
agricultural classification" said Mr..
Eutledge. "a large portion of it lies
at a comparatively high altitude.
where there is a heavy snowfall and
where agricultural possibilities are
limited to hay and grain and this more
hardy vegetables. Many of the tracts
contain excellent soil and generally
speaking the water supply, both for
irrigation and domestic purposes, IS
excellent. A large part Of all Of this
land now contains heavy stands of
timber which must be cut off before
the tracts are open to settlement.
Practically all of the agricultural res
ervations will be accessible by railroad
or wagon road, the possible exception
being on the south fork of the Flat
head river, where only trails have
been built.
The forest homesteads will not be
opened like the lands of Indian reser-
vations. TIL public seems to have a