Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1914-01-13
Best Year for Governments Forests.

Best Year for Governments Forests
More than two billion board feet o
timber, with a value of 1-2 million do
lars on the stump, was sold by the fol
! est service last year, according to the an
uual report Of Henry S. Graves, forester
This is an increase of 1877 per cent. owe
the sales of the preceding year. Th,
timber sold was largely for future cut
ting under contracts that will run for
little less than 500 million board feet, al
increase of Is per cent. over 1912. Still
larger sales are In prospect.
TIMBER SALE METHODS AND PROBLEMS
The timber sale policy of the fores
service is summarized az aiming first o
all to prevent losses by fire, and secondl!
to utilize the ripe timber which can b,
marketed. Other aims are: to cut so a.
to insure restocking and forest perma
uence; to get the full market value fo
the timber sold; to prevent speculative
acquisition and private monopoly o.
public timber and to maintain competi
tive conditions in the lumber industry SO
far as possible; to provide first for tht
needs of local communities and indus
tries; to open lands of agricultural value
to settlement without allowing them tt
be tied up by timber spectators; and
finally, to secure as soon as possible the
cost of production and administration tc
the government and revenue to the ma
tional forest states, to which 60 25 pei
cent of all receipts.
A large NUM- Der of national forests al
ready more than pay operating ex
penses. The revenue from the Alaskan
forests now exceeds the cost of admins
tration. Tho same is true generally In
the southwest.
RANGE MANAGEMENT AND RECEIPTS.
The forage resources of the natiena
forests are pointed out as contributing
10 the maintenance of over 20 million
head of livestock, which supply in part
at least the demands for meats, hides OF
wool of every state in the Union. The
receipts from grazing, during 1913
though second to those from timber,
we're more than a million dollars, and
.howed an increase over the previous
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 pro.
ductiou and improvements in handling
stock, especially sheep.
The system of range management en-
ployed by the forest service Is held to
offer hope OF relief to the average citi.
zen concerned over the dwindling supply
of meat products and their alarming
rise in cost. The national forests fur.
nsh abundant forage supplies, oppor-
tunity for the adoption of the best
methods, freedom from livestock dis
eases, aud protection In the enjoyment
of all rights and privileges. Cattle from
the Hayden national forest in Colorado
took the grand championship prize at
the National Live Stock Show in Den
YER, and in many cases the lambs from
the forests topped the market. Losses
from predatory animals are growing less
as the wolves, bears and other animals
are killed off by forest officers.
GAME PROTECTION.
In connection with the grazing work
the forests serve to protect game; and
the Wichita forest, with it's buffalo herd,
is one of the show places of Oklahoma.
During the year the service cooperated
with the biological survey in placing
over two hundred elk on various nation
al forests. A large number of streams
were stocked with trout fry.
CLAIMS ON THE NATIONAL FORESTS.
A large part of the report Is devoted
to a discussion of various kinds of claims
under which title to land within the for
ests is sought. Nearly thousand home
steads were taken up under special act
which provides for opening to settle
ment land suitable for agriculture. The
report states, however, that some old
homestead claims we're instituted for the
purpose of securing timber, and the
same is still true of some mining claims.
"As attempted frauds under the min
ing laws are usually resorted to by inter-
ests in no way associated with mining,
similarly the vast majority of homestead
frauds are not chargeable to practical
farming; but the appeal to popular preju-
dice has been made in the name of the
mining industry and in the name of the
farmers of the country"
MINING CLAIMS.
"The mining laws" Mr.. Graves says,
"afford the greatest cloak for land
frauds in the national forests, and fraud
ulent mining claims are initiated by men
and interests having no connection what.
ever with the mining industry" The
mining laws, for example, have been
used to cover townsite and timber
claims, to secure farms and ranches, to
secure mineral springs, sites for saloons,
water power sites, and stock watering
places.
1t has often been asserted that the
national forests have operated as a bar
to legitimate mining development. Fig.
past year show that, II anything, there
is more activity in prospecting on the
national forests than outside.
"As with the stock industry, the
proper relations of the forest service
with the mining industry should be CO.
operative"
CLASSIFYING LANDS FOR USE.
One of the largest tasks of the service
during the past year has been the cassi-
fication of lands within the national for.
ests In respect to their highest future
use. This work was undertaken during
1918 on a more comprehensive scale than
ever before, because there was specific
appropriation for the purpose. Large
areas are being classified where the
amount of land chiefly valuable for agri.
culture warrants its being taken out OF
the forests, and 1t also takes cares OF
areas on which detailed classification
will disclose small areas suitable for ag-
ricultural development within the for
ests. The work is being carried on with
the assistance of the bureau of soils and
the bureau of plant industry. One re.
suit OF this work was the elimination OF
$40, 900 acres from the Nebraska national
forest, $4,000 acres from the Rainier, in
Washington, and 413,770 acres from the
Deschutes and Paulina, in Oregon.
About 100000 acres in small isolated
tracts were listed for settlement during
the year. The areas now being exam
ined for classification have total area OF
about three million acres.
WATER POWER DEVELOPMENT.
The development of water power upon
the national forests increased rapidly
during the year, particularly In Call.
fOrnia. II is the purpose OF the service
to encourage power development In
every possible way, while safeguarding
the interests of the public. The mini
mum output from the permits now in
force Is nearly 800, 900 horsepower.
Regulations now 10 force aim to safe