The Washington herald., 1915-08-05
LAND SETTLEMENT BLOCKED.
Forest Service Suggests Develop
ment of Losced-On Tracts.

During the last decade the Forest Serv-
ice has classified as agricultural and
opened to public entry more than $500
individual scattered tracts of land in the
national forests. comprising more than
100000 acres. says an article by the
Chief Forester, published in the Year
Book of the Department of Agriculture.
just issued. Within the last two years,
in addition, several large blocks have
been eliminated aggreGaring more than
100000 acres, while nearly 100000 acres
more are now under consideration for
elimination. All the remaining agricul-
tural land in the national forests is con-
fined chiefly in isolated tracts scattered
here and there; to restricted areas re-
quiring irrigation. where water cannot
be obtained; and to certain river bottoms
and benches which are not covered with
very heavy and valuable timber.
A constant pressure is being brought
to bear on the government by private in
dividuals who want to acquire possession
of these heavily timbered agricultural
lands. single quarter-sections of which
often have a value as high as $40. 900 for
the timber alone. In spite of the fact
that some of these lands have soil suit
able for agriculture, to throw them open
as homesteads would not result in farm
development. This has been proven over
and over again where lands of this kind.
acquired under the Homestead Law. are
today held not by homesteaders but by
lumber companies, who promptly pur-
chased them from the settlers as soon
as title passed from the government-a
speculative process which effectively
prevents men of small means from
acquiring land and establishing homes.
The government is withholding from
agricultural entry all such heavily tim
bered land until after the timber is cut
off. AS soon as this is done. the land
will be opened to entry and settlers Will
be able to acquire II directly from the
government without cost. instead of hav
ing to pay from $40 to $50 an acre to land
spectators. For example, on the
Kaniksu National Forest in Idaho and
Washington, the governments timber
sales have been made to include much of
the remaining timbered agricultural land.
Within eight years fully 10000 acres will
be made available for settlement. Per-
manent homes will be established by the
settlers. and there will be available for
the use of communities approximately
s225, 600 for roads and schools. their legal
share of the proceeds from the timber
sales. Private ownership of heavily tim
bered agricultural land blocks farming
development. says the article; govern
ment ownership insures such develop
ment under conditions that give
opportunities to the small settler. whose
only capital is his strength and coura-
geous perseverance.
One of the most serious agricultural
problems of the northwest today is the
development OF the logged-off lands in
private ownership. In Oregon and Wash !
ington alone more than 100000 acres Of
such logged-oY lands are lying idle, al
though much of this area has fine agri- |
cultural soil and a climate that insures |
abundant crops and the development OF
thriving communities. Yet in this same
region hundreds of settlers are seeking |
to find places in the national forests. |
usually remote from transportation. high |
in the mountains. where the climate is |
harsh and the soil relatively poor. SIM |
ply because the good lands at lower levels |
outside the forests are held by the specu |
lators at prohibitive prices The true
solution of the problem of agriculture in |
such sections is to develop the rich |
logsed-off private lands that lie outside !
the forests. and not to throw open the |
mona gricultural lands within the forests. |
To show how thorough is the land |
classification work of the Forest Serv-
ice. the Kootenai Valley in Montana may
be taken as an example, continues the |
article. Here a large river winds for $50 |
miles through the national forest. At
many points steep, densely forested hills |
drop down to the waters edge. making |
the valley a gorge or canyon. Here and
there bars in the river have resulted in
deposits Of silt, forming long, narrow /
bottoms. of level islands. which are very |
fertile. Part way up the mountain slopes |
occasional benches of land afford a few |
acres of fertile soil. At first II was pro- |
posed to throw out the entire valley, a |
strip three miles in width on either side |
of the river. Ninety-hve per cent OF this |
belt, however. Is nonagricultural land, |
whose cultivation should not be at
tempted. Its best use to a local COM
munity. as well as to the country at ]
large. is for timber growing. So instead !,
Of opening the whole valley to public |
entry by settlers, the Forest Service has
painstakingly surveyed every little river
bottom. island. or bench. which contains |
enough arabic land to support home.
Many Of these patches are small. but
their soil is 30 fertile that homes can be |
maintained on them by intensive truck
farming or orcharding. In this fashion |
more than 500 farms have been carved |
out Of this valley Of the Kootenai Ma