The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1913-12-28
BEST YEARFOR
governments
FOREST WORK
MORE THAN TWO BILLION BOARD
FEET WITH A VALUATION or
OVER -FOUR MILLION DOLLARS
ON THE STUMP SOLD.
sPEcIAL 20 THn JouRNAL.

Washington, Dec. 21.--More Lnan
two billion board feet OF lanoer. W., W.eli
q value of four and one-h half mlllion
dollars on the stump, was solo oy
the forest service last year. according
to the annual report OF Henry ?.
Graves. forester, publisher lately. ms
IN an increase of 167 per cent over
the sales OF the preceding year. Tue
kanlber sold was largely for future cut
ting under contracts that VIII run IOr
q number OF years. The actuaI cus
anet. an increase of 10 per cent over
1914. Sfifl larger scales are In pros
Tinvts.~ aAaie Methods and Problems.
The rxutber sale policy OF the forest
merysc~ n summarized as aiming first
nf eli to prevent losses by are. and
mnnon0mry 20 utilize the ripe tisnner
wht II can be marketed Other aims
ars. to cut so as to insure restocking
and forest permanence; TO get the rull
market value for the timber sold; to
prevent speculative acquisition and
private monopoly of public timber ano
10 maintain competitive connitions IN
Ate lumber industry so far aa POSSIBLE
~ nrovide hrst for the needs OF local
communities and industries; 20 open
1atrds OF Agricultural value to settle
ment without allowing them TO be tied
up by timber speculators; and finally.
20 secure as soon as possible the cost
of production and administration TO the
government and revenue to the ma
1so1lal forest states, to which go % per
ut Of all receipts.
large number Of national forests
already more than pay operating ex-
penses The revenue from the Alaskan
forests now exceeds the cost of admin
astrmtion- The same is true generally
in the southwest.
The forage resources of the national
forests are pointed out as contributing
40 the maintenance Of over twenty mill
Hion head Of live stock. which supply
IN part at least the demands for meat.
M1des. or wool of every state in the
union.
The receipts from grazing during
1913, though second TO those from tim
Der, were more than g. million dollars,
mT1d showed an increase over the pre-
vfous year IN spite OF the fact that the
season was less favorable and the area
reduced. Over per cent more stock
was grazed as the result OF increased
forage production and improvements In
handling stock. especially sheep.
The system OF range management
RrnpfOyed by the forage service ls held
10 offer hope OF relief to the average
supply OF meat productions and their
alarming rise in cost The national
forests furnish abundant forage sup
plies opportunity for the adoption Of
stock diseases. and protection In the
san5oyment Of all rights and privileges.
II Cattle from the Hayden national forest
4 fr Colorado took the grand champion
Hmhip prize at the national live stock
show In Denver, and in many cases the
za1labs from the forests topped the
market Losses from predatory ami
mails are growing less as the wolves,
Game Protection.
In connection with the grazing work
fhe forests serve to protect game: and
the Wichita forest, with Its buffalo
nerd, IL one Of the show places OF Ok
fahoma- During the year the service
0o6perated with the biological survey
an placing over two hundred elk on
various national forests. large num-
her Of streams were stocked with trout
Claims on the National Forests.
"A large part OF the report Is devoted
To- discussion Of various kinds of
clmins under which title to land within
sand hom esteads were taken up under
u special act which provides for open
ang 70 settlement land suitable for ag-
Ftdulbure. The report states. however,
anstituted for the purpose Of securing
timber, and the same rs still true OF
ao1ne mining claims.
#As attempted frauds under the
mining laws are usually resorted to by
interests in no way associated with
mining, similarly the vast ma tority OF
homestead frauds are not chargeable
G0Epractlcal farming: but the appeal to
popular prejudice has been made In the
name Of the mining industry and in
s en- name q the FARMERS q the '0an-
THE mining laws Mr.. Graves says,
&afford the greatest cloak for land
Aauds In the national forests, ana
uduient mining claims are initiated
men and interests having no con-
ction whatever with the mining In
SfTy. The mining laws for exam
6 have been used to cover townsite
ms timber claims, to secure farms and
kNnchess 70 secure mineral springs
Hsitks for saloons. waferpower sites, and
.stsfck wa+ er1rg places.
& has cften been asserted chat the
kioual 20 tests have operated as a bar
NaAf aNwis innate mining development Fig
NzSB sssti~cfed IN Colorado during the
past y~n- show that, II anything. there
"a more acNivity IN prospecting on the
nationa1 forests than outside
Jas w4Gh the stock Industry the
Nwcper relations OF the forest service
etSh TIE mining industry should be
Classifying Lands for Use.
One Of the largest tasks OF the serv-
~ dnrsspg the past year has been the
Flees. dcatton OF lands within the ma
Monal forests In respect to their high
e@H future use. This work was under
taken during 1918 on a more compre-
hensive scale than ever before because
knerU was specific appropriation for
the purpose Large areas are being
classified where the amount OF land
chiefly valuable for agriculture war
rants It's being taken out OF the forests.
and Il also takes care Of the areas on /
Whach detailed classification will dis
close small areas suitable for agricul- |
kural development within the forests. |
me work is being carried on with the
4isEance OF the bureau Of soils and /
8 bureau Of plant industry. one re-
Nult OK this work was the elimination |
q $4,000 acres from the Nebraskan |
national forest. %. 600 acres from the /
Rainier. IN Washington. and 41S.770I
acrose from the Deschutes and pau
ltnH- in Oregon. About 400. 600 acres |
81 small isolated tracts were listed for
meeAl aTnent during the year The areas /
hcw being Examined Tor classification