The Washington times., 1923-02-11
VIRGINIA LAND
BEING BOUGHT
FOR RESERVES
Small Additions Made In Past
Year to Potomac, Massanut-
ten and Natural Bridge Units
FEW TRACTS AVAILABLE
Reservation Commission Tells
of Progress Being Made and
Prospect of Future Purchase

The National Forest Reserva-
ton Commission, in its annual re-
port, gives the following informa-
ton as to the progress of Virginia
forest reserves:
On the Natural Bridge unit dur
ing the year the purchase was
authorized of II cases with a COM
bined area of 2,974 acres, largely
consisting of two tracts, one of
about $500 acres in the extreme
northern portion of the unit and
tending to consolidation; the other
of about 1000 acres on Tye river
and of particular importance on
account Of its timber, which offers
through the possibility of its ex-
change a means of acquiring near
by and adjoining cut-over lands
from lumber companies operating
on the watershed of the same
stream.
On this unit there have been APP
proved for purchase 135,07S acres
out of q total of 24S,055 acres,
which is about SO per cent of the
gross area. The unit is named for
the well-known Natural Bridge of
Virginia, which is situated just out
side of the western boundary.
The unit embraces both sides of
the Blue Ridge mountains for a dis
lance of nearly sixty miles and
ranges in altitude from $50 to 1900
feet. Except the extreme northern
end, which is drained by the waters
OF the Potomac river. the entire
unit Is drained by the James river.
On the higher mountain slopes and
the lower slopes to the east, the
forest has been of excellent quail
ity and certain bodies of very good
timber, especially chestnut and red
oak remain. Two small agricul-
tural valleys, which, with other
farming lands, have a total AREA of
1900 acres, are included in the
gross area Of the unit.
A portion OF the forest lands
which have not yet been acquired
are owned by two lumber COM
panies which are operating the
timber thereon and probably will
not be available for purchase until
the timber has been largely re-
moved.
Except for these lands there re-
main only a few tracts, none of
them of very large size, which are
available for early purchase.
POTOMAC UNIT.
The additions to the Potomac unit
during the year consist of four
small tracts totaling 256 acres, all
tending toward effecting consolida-
ton and eliminating several unde-
sirable interior holdings.
There have been approved for
purchase. on the Potomac unit So
51S acres out of a total of LAT, 038
acres of farming lands in the agri-
cultural valleys, leaving only 22,739
acres of forest land of character
the purchase of which is desirable.
The remaining forest land, which is
chiefly on rough mountain slopes,
is largely held in small parcels and
can be secured advantageously only
from time to time as the owners
desire to dispose of it.
MASSANUTTEN UNIT.
On the Massanutten purchase
unit there have been approved. for
purchase 59,457 acres out of 152 ,946
aches within the unit. The waters
from this unit are all tributary to
the Potomac river through the
Shenandoah. The Massanutten noun
tain, consisting of several narrow
parallel ranges, divides the Shen-
andoah river valley for dis
lance or some sixty miles south
from Front Royal, Va, and the
purchase unit practically comedies
with the mountain.
During the year the purchase of
seven cases totaling 1O,251 acres
was authorized on the unit. The
two largest tracts of more than
1000 acres each. both consisting of
cut-Over lands, partly in second
growth, are important in affording
rights of way for the removal of
timber on land from the Augusta
Wood Products Company, as well as
in extending the boundary of lands
which will be owned by the Gov
eminent at this point practically
down to the farming land in the
valley and close to the public high
way which parallels the railroad.
These two tracts lie on the eastern
slope Of Elliott Knob, thus bringing
the larger portion of this mountain