5i8 



CONSERVATION 



The inquiries of the Commission 

 naturally resolve themselves into four 

 classes, following the work of the four 

 committees composing the Commission. 

 They relate to Land, Water, Forest, 

 and Mineral'. 



Under Land, it asks for the policy 

 and results of the public land system, 

 and what changes in the land laws are 

 desirable. This important matter has 

 been taken up by the law office of the 

 Interior Department. It asks whether 

 there is a tendency toward monopoliza- 

 tion of lands, whether farm, timber, or 

 mineral lands, and the causes for such 

 tendency, if it exists. The answer 

 is being sought from several sources : 

 the Bureau of Corporations, the Geo- 

 logical Survey, the Census, and by cir- 

 cular from the farmers. 



A question of the greatest importance 

 is whether our soils, as a whole, are 

 being exhausted. This question is 

 answered by a comparison of the yield 

 per acre of certain major crops, at dif- 

 ferent times. To answer this question 

 we have the statistics of the Census, 

 and those of the Bureau of Statistics 

 of the Department of Agriculture. If 

 it has diminished in fertility, why has 

 this occurred? How can soil erosion 

 be reduced. To what extent is in- 

 creased production per acre likely to 

 be needed, and how can it be brought 

 about? These questions have been 

 submitted for opinions to the Bureaus 

 of Soils, Plant Industry, and the Office 

 of Experiment Stations of the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture. 



Regarding the public range, the 

 Commission asks its condition, the 

 causes of this condition, and the 

 methods by which it can be improved. 

 The grazing division of the Forest 

 Service is at work on this subject. 



Concerning swamp and overflow 

 lands, their extent and ownership are 

 sought — also how much has been re- 

 claimed, at what cost and with what 

 financial result. Questions are also 

 asked concerning the possible amount 

 which can be reclaimed, with estimated 

 cost and probable results or profits. 

 This whole subject has been proposed to 



the Office of Experiment Stations and 

 to the Hydrographic Branch of the 

 Geological Survey. 



Under the general subject of Water, 

 and specifically Irrigation, the Recla- 

 mation Service is at work upon the fol- 

 lowing matters : The amount of land 

 under irrigation. An estimate of the 

 additional land that may be irrigated. 

 Do present laws promote irrigation 

 fully and wisely, and what modifica- 

 tions of law are desirable? The rela- 

 tions of irrigation to forests, naviga- 

 tion, water-power, water supply, drain- 

 age, and floods. 



The underground water supply is be- 

 ing studied by the Hydrographic 

 Branch of the Geological Survey. 



The Weather Bureau has furnished 

 full data concerning rainfall, and that 

 office, in cooperation with the Hydro- 

 graphic Branch of the Geological Sur- 

 vey, will furnish data concerning the 

 flow of streams, with areas of stream 

 basins. The same offices, in coopera- 

 tion, are preparing information con- 

 cerning floods, the specific questions 

 asked being: Are floods increasing, 

 and if so, why? To what extent are 

 flood waters wasted ? How much dam- 

 age do they occasion? To what extent 

 could flood waters be stored, at what 

 cost, and at what saving? 



The entire subject of water in its re- 

 lation to transportation has been un- 

 dertaken by the Bureau of Corporations, 

 which has already made extended stud- 

 ies on this subject. Concerning this 

 matter the Commission seeks the fol- 

 lowing information : Whether river 

 navigation has diminished. If it has, 

 the reasons for it. The advantages of 

 an adequate system of inland water- 

 ways. How they can be fully untilized 

 for traffic. In addition to the above, 

 many minor subordinate matters are 

 asked for. 



The subject, Water-power, has been 

 nearly all turned over for investigation 

 to the Hydrographic Branch of the 

 Geological Survey, with .some coopera- 

 tion from the Bureau of Corporations. 

 The information desired is as follows : 

 The developed and undeveloped water- 



