226 ANNUAL KEPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Tlio appaiont net iiinvasL' of 2,098,8r);5 acres incliules ()54,942 aeres 

 I)ievi()iisly pmcliased under the act of March 1, 1911, but not <^aven 

 the formal status of National Forests until proclaimed as such during 

 the ])ast fiscal year. The actual net increase of (iovernment Forest 

 lands athnini.-^tered by the Forest Service was therefore 1,4-1;J,G51 

 acres. It is due i)rinci))ally to the addition by act of Conji^ress ol 

 about 1,000,000 acres, embraced in the 'Jliunder JNIountain i-egion in 

 Idaho, to the Idaho and Payette National Forests. 



^ Si)ecial acts of Cono-ress made .-mall additions to live other National 

 Forests, while by proclamation of the President 130,855 acres net 

 were addeil to the Coconino and Prescott National Forests, since Fed- 

 eral regulation of the use of this land is necessary for the i)rotection 

 of im]jortaiit reclamation projects on the Verde River. The title 

 to many school selections reverted to the (lovernment during the year 

 throiio-h selections by the States of other public lands outside the 

 National Forests. The increase from these various causes was par- 

 tially offset by seven presidential prochunations and executive orders 

 making eliminations from individual National Forests to a total of 

 34,252 acres, and by eliminations due to land exchanges with the 

 States of Idaho and South Dakota wdiich made a further reduction 

 of 34,543 acres. 



With two exceptions — 1911 and 1913 — no other fiscal year since 

 1909 has closed Avith a net increase in the area of National Forest 

 lands. The gain made last year is almost identical with the area loss 

 of the 3'ear before. That the cutting- down process, which has re- 

 sulted from careful land classification, w^ould with the completion of 

 that work give place in its turn to a rencAved growth in the acreage 

 of the Foi'ests Avas to be expected. Most of the increase made last 

 year Avas through special acts of Congress in ansAver to local public 

 sentiment and evidences the stability of the reservations, the effi- 

 ciency of their administration, and the value of their public service. 

 Numerous other measures noAv before Congress Avould materially in- 

 crease this acreage if enacted into laAV. Several of these measures 

 have alread}^ passed the House or Senate. 



OAving to the A^irtual exhaustion of the appropriation for the pur- 

 chase of lands for National Forests in the East, little progress Avas 

 made in acquiring ncAV lands in the White Mountains and tiie south- 

 ern Appalachians. At the close of the year 1,420,208.05 acres had 

 been purchased in these regions. In addition, 12,094.40 acres were 

 purchased in the Ozark Mountains in Arkansas. All purchased 

 lands liaA'e noAv l>een formally proclaimed and organized as Na- 

 tional P^orests. There remained under process of acquisition 375,296 

 acres, purchase of Avhicli had been approA'ed by the National For- 

 est Reservation Commission. The Avork of completing such con- 

 tract obligations is necessarily being continued. MeauAvhile the per- 

 sonnel engaged upon this AVork is kept fully employed by examina- 

 tions of other lands offered for purchase in anticipation of further 

 appropriations. The original program of acquisition contemplated 

 the purchase of about 1,000,000 acres in the White Mountains and not 

 less than 5,000,000 acres in the southern Appalachians. Nearly one- 

 half the proposed White Mountain area has been acquired, but slower 

 progress has been made in the southern areas. The commission has 

 formally recommended further appropriations to carry on the pur- 



