The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-05-12
HOUSTON INSPECTS
NATIONAL FORESTS
Is In the West to Find Out for Himself
How Public Resources Are
Being Developed.

:
of Agriculture Houston has begun Al
extensive tour OF the national forests Il
find out for himself to what extent the
timber, forage, water power, recreation
al and agricultural resources are benl
developed for the public under present
methods and to. make study of thu
administrative Problems of the fores
service. During May he will visit thu
forests in several of the western states
spending almost the entire time Of hi;
trip in the wilds, seeking first hand i'm
pressions of the conditions under which
the forest service works.
Conditions during the spring and sum
mer are likely to be unusually arduous
according to forest service officials, in
that a dangerous fire season is indicated
for many of the forests by the abnor-
mally slight precipitation of the win
ter. Unless the deficiency is made up
the forests will be dry and infammable
earlier in the season than usual and
the water supply of many extensive re-
gions will be low. Numerous irriga-
ton. reservoir and power projects are
wholly or in part dependent on national
forest protection of watersheds, and it
is beginning to be generally understood
that, aside from actual farming on ma
tional forest land, the agricultural inter
ests OF the West are much concerned
in the conservation of water supplies
accomplished by the forest service
through lessened fire damage and regu-
lated grazing. In southern California
the interest in maintaining forest COW
er on the mountains from which local
water supplies are derived is so keen
that for number OF years local funds
have been raised and paid over to the
department of agriculture in order to
provide for more intensive protection
than the federal appropriations make
possible.
Under the methods employed in hand
ling the livestock grazing business of
the national forests, agricultural de-
velopment is benefited not only through
the prevention Of injury to watersheds
but also through the opportunities
opened for rarch development. As new
settlers locate near Tie forests room is
made for their stock by cutting down,
if necessary, the number of stock al
lowed the larger permittees. More than
100000 cattle, sheep and hogs, includ
ing young stock. viii find forage this
year on the national forests. The rev
enue from this source is expected to |
exceed 81 100000 in 1915.
One of the difficult administrative |
problems, now being rapidly worked out,
is that of agricultural development of
lands more valuable for farm than for
forest purposes. Extensive land CLASH
fication has been made possible by a
special appropriation of Congress for
this purpose, renewed each year Since
1912. Up to date, about 10000 agri
cultural homesteads have been listed
within the national forests, opening to
agricultural development nearly 100000
acres of forest land. In addition, GER
ain amount of agricultural development
IS provided for under special use per-
nts. where for any special reason list
ng does not afford a practicable means
If meeting settlers needs.
More than 81 900 special use permits
II all kinds have been issued to the
public since 1905, granting free or for a
bic charge permission to conduct
ii sorts of enterprises on national for
st land. They include apiaries, barns,
lighthouses, botanical gardens. cemeter.
es, churches, cottages. golf links, hotels,
mines, mineral springs. observstories, or
hards. quarres, railroads, ranches. resi-
ences, restaurants, rife ranges, roads,
sawmills. slaughterhouses,
and telephone lines, tennis
curtis, tramways. tunnels, waterpower (
lants, wells weirs and wharves. The f,
otal income from special use permits in
9l4 was over Sl3l 900.
Farmers, prospectors and local settlers ]
{ all classes who needed timber for /
heir own use in the construction of
ouses, barns, fences and the like were
ivcn free more than l20,000,000 feet
national forest timber during 1914 I
lille about l4000000 feet was sold to ,
ettlers. ranchers and others at cost /
rices. The timber sale business Of the
ational forests amounts to about 81 .2j0. 8
90 annually, more than 100000 600 I
oard feet Of stumpaCe having been sold !
, lumber operators last year.
The forests contain most OF the pic :
iresque wilderness in the country. and
heir recreational resources arc practi-
slly unlimited. More than 1900 cot
gcs have been built on the forests bv
immer residents under the permit sys.
IN, which has been supplemented by +
Nv providing that tracts OF FIVE acres
less NAV be leased for periods not
, exceed 30 years. This law. under
hich leasing regulations have Just been
by the secretary Of agricul- X
ire. H. expected 90 stimulate recrea.
onal development Of the forests. Al. Z
adv a large number Of applications 20 4
sse national forest land for summer "
sidence sites has been received. and :,
on communities are beginning 20 take =
Vantage Of the forests situated near g
em bv obtaining tracts for use a. pic