The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1913-01-13


which are constantly being received
concerning the opening of agricultural
land in the national forests to entry,
District Forester F. A. Silcox has pre-
pared the following article to explain
the policy of the service and to show
just how these areas are determined,
classified and opened to the public.
His explanation follows:
1t is the policy of the forest service
to secure a full and early develop
ment, through settlement by bona fide
home builders, of all land within the
national forest which is chiefly valu-
able for agricultural purposes. AS
evidence of the good faith of the ser
vice in carrying out this policy, since
the passage of the Act of June IL,
1906, 240,913 acres have been listed
for homestead entry within district
No. l alone, practically all of which
area is in Montana and Idaho north
of Salmon river. In addition to the
land actually listed upon application,
503, 900 acres We're excluded by elm
nations from the national forests in
his district because of it's being
more valuable for grazing or agri-
cultural purposes ana capable of
elimination without 1eopardizing the
integrity of a practicable administra-
tive unit.
The development of the farming
lands within the national forests
means better roads, telephone facili-
ties, schools, etc, and the forest SER
vice recognizes this and desires to see
such lands put under cultivation at
the earliest possible date. The deter
animation, however, of what is, and
is not agricultural land is a more diff
ficult matter than appears on first
glance. Such factors as the degree
of slope, depth and formation of soil,
limits of growing season, climatic
conditions, and the comparative value
? of the land for other purposes than
agriculture must be taken into CON-
sideration. The plan is to have made,
} Jointly by the bureau of soils and the
forest service, a complete, compre
1 henSlve examination of each national
L forest in order to determine the area
n extent of agricultural lands. The
I department of agriculture, through in
, formation secured locally and through
1 its soil and plant experts, is to say
L what land is and what is not agri-
} cultural. The forest service will con-
? slider such questions as timber or
l water power values, the needs for
administrative use, etc, and will fur
3 nish all the field map data necessary
( to graphically represent this informa-
ton. A joint examination of this
character has been made, covering ali
of the area south of Priest lake on
the kanikSu National forest. Other
large areas (aggregating $4,000 acres)
have been covered by topographic
maps in the past two years and will
be finally passed upon by soil experts
this coming season. In order to de-
ternine the extent of agricultural
lands In any piece of country, the
making of a soil survey has been ac-
cepted as the proper method of going
about this problem. The various
= states, the Canadian Pacific Railway
!, company, the Northern Pacific Rail.
. way company, and other large lanC
owners have all used the soil survey
as a means of occurring information
. on the agricultural resources of Tho
l lands owned by them. The plan O.
u making a comprehensive soil surve,
is much more satisfactory than tn,
u examination of individual claims. Thi:
has always been recognized by thu
5 forest service. but it uid not feel tina
| action on individual applications 20.
S agricultural lands should be held VI
G until this general classification coult
: be completed. Individual examina
e tons lack uniformity, are expensive
y and are subject to unavoidable delays
due in most instances to the applica
linn hninp mazda of n tir,n Of ,1n.
when a field examination, because o
climatic conditions, is impossible
Further, they interfere with othe
regular work, and although givel
preference over everything but fir,
I protection, delay has resulted in spit
n of this. The general classification
] plan will obviate these difficulties an,
will not only make it possible to &C
IN an application at once but will
also make it possible to give the an
plicant detailed information about tn
location of agricultural lands within
the forests. Such information coul
also be furnished the state, railroa,
companies. commercial clubs, etc, S,
that they could include it in their in
formation literature to assist in tn
general development of the country
IL the ldiu uHuef consideration Wef
valuable only for agriculture an
- nothing else, there would be but few
if any, difficulties OF administrator
The difficulties arise when other val
ues enter into consideration-such a
timber, summer residence sites, town
sites, water power, etc. Although tn
forest service is strongly in favor O
opening up the agricultural lands a
rapidly as possible, it is emphaticall
g opposed to restoring to entry lands
r which, in their present condition, wi
~ attract speculative entrymen who's
80 desire it is to secure the land unde
:, agricultural land laws for purpose
entirely foreign to agriculture. An
q one familiar with the administratio
~ of lands in the public LAND states wi
recognize the character of cases re
ferred to. Many motives, other tina
a desire for agricultural land fo
homes, actuate a great many appli
cants for national forest land. The on