172 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



natioixof 307,800 acres, which will dispose of the chief agricultural 

 land problem in the National Forests of Alaska. The proclamation 

 making this elimination awaits final action in the Interior Depart- 

 ment before its transmittal to the President. 



ELIMINATIONS MADE DURING THE YEAR. 



Eliminations totaling 894,077 acres were made during the year by 

 presidential proclamations or Executive orders from 13 National 

 Forests. At the close of the year there were pending in the Interior 

 Department proclamations providing for the elimination of 1,016,923 

 acres more. 



There was also eliminated, through final approval by the Interior 

 Department, 133,335 acres of State selections in the Kaniksu Forest 

 and 5 acres in the Harney Forest. These eliminations were due to 

 land exchanges with the States of Idaho and South Dakota. 



An apparent reduction of 129,082 acres resulted from recomputa- 

 tions of the area of a number of Forests, disclosing errors in the 

 figures previously reported. 



ADDITIONS DUBINd THE TEAB. 



Hand in hand with the cutting down of the Forests, a movement in 

 the opposite direction has taken place. It has the same basic pur- 

 pose — to provide for the highest use of the land. Established as the 

 National Forests were and had to be, without close study of the best 

 boundaries or waiting for a mature decision as to just what classes 

 of land would eventually prove suitable for permanent administra- 

 tion, they left outside in many cases areas of public land the addition 

 of which is equally desirable with the elimination of unsuitable lands. 

 Further, it is now fully recognized that the Government should ex- 

 tend its holdings through the acquisition of private lands. 



New lands are added through (1) presidential proclamations in- 

 corporating in the Forests suitable areas of public lands, in the States 

 in which Congress has not prohibited further action of this char- 

 acter; (2) acts of Congress, also making additions from the public 

 lands; (3) purchases, under the Weeks Law; and (4) land ex- 

 changes. 



In addition to the proclamations already mentioned which estab- 

 lished the Alabama, Shenandoah, White Mountain, and Natural 

 Bridge Forests from lands already acquired and under administra- 

 tion as purchase areas, thr.ee proclamations were issued making addi- 

 tions to the Forests from the public domain. The total area thus 

 added was 93,017 acres. 



No additions to the National Forest areas were made by act of Con- 

 gi'ess during the year. 



The purchase of 185,199 acres under the Weeks Law was approved 

 by the National Forest Reservation Commission during the year. Of 

 this, 997 acres are in Arkansas. The extension of purchases to that State 

 marks a new departure; previous action had been confined to the 

 White Mountain and Southern Appalachian regions. The lands to 

 which title was actually acquired totaled 171,940 acres. There re- 

 mains available for purchases under the Weeks Law nearly $1,000.()D0, 



Because of the war, acquisition of new lands has been temporarily 

 suspended except for lands already approved by the commission or 



