The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1915-05-13
SECRETARY HOUSTON IN
SPECTS NATIONAL FORESTS
is in the West 10 Find Out for Himself
How Public Resources are Being
Developed.

h Washington, May 10--Secretary Z
: Agriculture Houston has begun an e,
= tensive tour of the national forests I
: find out for himself to what exten
3 their timber, forage, water power, re
1 creatlonal and agricultural resource
{ are being developed for the public un
der present methods and to make
> study of the administrative probem
of the forest service. During May h,
will visit the forests in several Of tn,
western states, spending almost tn
entire time of his trip in the wilds
seeking frst-hand impressions of tn,
conditions under which the forest ser
vice works.
| Conditions during the spring anC
summer are likely to be unusually ar.
duous, according to forest service of
ficials, in that dangerous fire season
is indicated for many of the forests
by the abnormally slight precipitation
of the winter. Unless the deficiency
is made up, the forests will be dry
and inflammable earlier in the sea-
son than usual and the water supply
of many extensive regions will be low.
Numerous irrigation, reservoir, and
power projects are wholly or in part
dependent on national forest protec-
tion of watersheds, and it is beginning
to be generally understood that, aside
from actual farming on national for
est land, the agricultural interests Of
the west are much concerned in the
conservation of water supplies accom-
plished by the forest service through
lessened fire damage and regulated
grazing In southern California the
interest in maintaining a forest cover
on the mountains from which local
water supplies are derived is so keen
that for a 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
handling the livestock grazing bust
ness Of the national forests, agricul-
tural development is benefited not
only through the prevention Of injury
to watersheds but also through the
opportunities opened for ranch devel-
opment. As new settlers locate near
the forest room is made for their
stock by cutting down, if necessary,
the number of stock allowed the larg
er permittees. More than 100000
cattle, sheep, and hogs, including
young stock, will find forage this year
on the national forests. The revenue
from this source is expected to exceed
81 100000 in 1915.
One Of the difficult administrative
now being rapidly worked
put, is that of agricultural develop
ment Of lands more valuable for farm
han for forest purposes. Extensive
and classification has been made pos !
,ible by special appropriation of
Congress for this purpose, renewed
ZACH year since 1912. Up to date, a
bout 10000 agricultural homesteads
lave been listed within the national !
orests, opening to agricultural de- :
'elopment nearly 100000 acres of .
crest last. In addition, a certain :
mount of agricultural development '
5 provided for under special use per- II
nits, where for any special reason 8
sting does not afford practicable n
1eans of meeting settlers needs.
More than $4,000 special use per- $
tits of all kinds have been issued to u
he public since 1905, granting free or Ia
Or a reasonable charge permission to K
onduct all sorts of enterprises on ma n
ona forest land. They include api- D
RES, DdTiiS, DUdt HOuptS, uDboihtai n
ardens, cemeteries, churches, cot al
lges, golf links, hotels, mines, min u
raj springs, observatories, orchards, te
Iarries, railroads. ranches, residences. NJ
.staurants, rife ranges, roads di
sawmills, slaughter hous- m
!, telegraph and telephone lines, ten te
S courts, tramways, tunnels, water IN
,wer plants, wells, weirs, and whary- SC
. The total income from special use te
,rmits in 1914 was over sl31 900. w
Farmers, prospectors, and local set DC
srs Of all classes, who needed timber cr
r their own use in the construction
houses, barns, fences, and the like,
ere given free more than l20,0 100000
ct of national forest timber during
IA, while about 100000 feet was Do
Id to settlers, ranchers, and others a'
cost prices. The timber sale busi- I'd
SIS Of the national forests amounts pii
about $l,250,000 annually, more th'
an 500, 900, 900 board feet of stump q
e having been sold to lumber oper- tn,
Drs last year. "a
The forests contain most Of the pic