New Britain herald., 1915-05-20
WHAT OTHERS SAY
Views ou all sides of timely
 questions as discussed in ex.
 changes that come to Herald Offlce. 's ,
SfO.OOO,OOO for Forestry.


 The American Forestry association will urge the next congress to appro- priate $10,000,00O, for use at the rate of $2,000,O00 a year, to continue tne purchase of land in the Southern Ap- palachians and White Mountains as federal forest reserves. It is most inn portant that the money be set aside for this purpose. It means much to the future of the whole Atlantic sea board to have several million acres of agricultural fand, from most of which all merchantable timber has been removed held in reserve under government ownership. protected from fire and disease and perpetuated as productive forest land. All through New England and along the Southern Appalachians there is a very strong sentiment in favor of continuing the purchase of these forest-growing lands.
 The present appropriations for the ynrcnase of lands in the Southern Ap- palachian and White Mountains will cease with the fiscal year, that is on June 30 1915. There Is now avail able for further purchases about $1.000,000. which sum will be suf- tcient to carry the work to near the end of 1915. The area approved for purchase by the National Forest Res ervation commission, or already ac- quired is 1,1S6,00O acres, the average cost of which has been slightly over $500 per acre with an additional eX- pense of approximately sixty cents per acre for apprnisals, surveys, title eX- aminations and supervision. It is esti- mated by officials of the forest service that with the remaining one million dollars enough additional lands can be purchased to bring the total to more than 1,4o0,000 acres, with an average price not exceeding $500 per acre.
 The secretary of agriculture in a report to congress in 1907 recom- mended the purchase of 5,000,0OO acres in the Southern Appalachians and GOO, 900 acres in the White Noun tains The National Forest Reserva- ton commission in it's last report to congress strongly approves of that recomm endation, in fact adopts it's as it's working program, and recommends that congress extend the appropria- ton for purchases through a further period of five years at the rate of two million dollars per year.
 The American Forestry association for eleven years labored to secure the legislation embodied in the Weeks law, which permits the requirement of these non-agricultural lands as forest reserves. 1t has closely watched the execution of the law under the Ma tional Forest Reservation commissio on and the department of agriculture in the last five years and the results which have been accomplished dem- onstrate fully the wisdom of the pro- gram which has been undertaken. Furthermore great good is being &C., complished in putting the purchased lands immediately under administra- ton so that they can be protected from fire and fully utilized as national forests.
 In view of the achievements accom- plished in the way of purchases and in the administration of acquired lands the American Forestry association con siders it appropriate to give full sup port to the National Forest Reserva- tion commission in it's recommends ton to congress for appropriations at the rate of two million dollars per year for further period of five years. This program will be actively urged at the next session of congress.