The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1915-08-06

llOndl. lOTeSlS, comprising ilOIt lHdu
100000 acres, says an article by the
chief forester. published in the year
ture. Just issued. Within the last
two years, in addition, several large
blocks have been eliminated, aggre-
eating more than 100000 acres,
while nearly 100000 acres more
are now under consideration for elm
ination. All the remaining agIicul-
tural land in the national forests is
confined chiefly in isolated tracts
scattered here and there to restrict
ed areas requiring irrigation, where
water can not be obtained; ard 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 individuals who want to
acquire possession of these heavily
timbered agricultural la1ds, single
quarter-sectons of which often have
value as high as $4,000 for the
timber alone. In spite of the fact
that some of these lands have soil
suitable for agriculture, to throw
them open as homesteads would not
result in farm development. This has
been proven over and ever 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 effect
lively prevents men of small means
from acquiring land and establishing
homes.
The government is withholding
from agricultural entry al, such heay-
lily timbered land until after the tim
Der is cut off. As soon as this is
done. the land will be opened to
entry and settlers will be able to
acquire it directly from the govern
ment without cost, instead of having
to pay from $40 to $50 an acre to
land spectators. For example, on
the Kaniksu national forest in Idaho
and Washington, the government S
timber sales have been made to in
clude much of the remaining timbered
agricultural land. Within eight years
fully 10000 acres will be made avail
able for settlement. Permanent
homes will be established by the set
tiers. and there will be al lailable for
the use of communities approximate
lv 1925. 600 for roads and schools,
their legal share of the proceeds
from the timber sales. Private own
ership of heavily timbered agricultu-
raj land blocks farming de 'elopment,
says the article; government owner
ship insures such develo lnent under
conditions that give opportunities to
the small settler whose only capital
is his strength and courageous per
severance.
one o. the most serious agricultu-
raj problems of the northwest today
is the development of the logged-off
lands in private ownership. In Oregon
and Washington alone more than
three million acres OF such logged-of'
lands are lying idle, although much
of this area has fine agricultural soil
and a climate that insu~es abundant
crops and the development of thriving
communities. Yet in this same re-
gion hundreds of settlers are seeking
to find places in the national forests.
usually remote fro.n Transportation,
high in the mountains. where TIE
climate is harsh and the soil rela-
lively poor. simp'y because the eood
lands at lower levels outside the for
ests are held by the seeculators at
prohibitive prices. The true solution
of the problem of agriculture in such
sections is to develop the rich logged
off private lands that lie outside the
forests. and not to throw open the
non-agricultural lands within the for
ests.
To show how thorough is the land
classification work Of the forest ser
vice. the Kootenai valley in Montana
may be taken as an example, contin'
ues the article Here a large river
winds for $50 miles through the ma
tional 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
bo+,cr,c or Ieypl islands which are