258 AXNIAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMEN I' OF A^nilCFLTURE. 



may be necessary for the recjulation of the flow of navigable streams, 

 and to rei")ort the results of such examinations to a commission created 

 by the act and designated the National Forest Reservation Com- 

 mission. 



Upon the approval of the purchase by the commission the Secretary 

 is authorized to purchase the lands for the United States and .there- 

 after to organize them into National Forests, to be administered, Avith 

 certain limitations, as other National Forests are administered. An 

 appropriation of $13,000,000 was made for purposes of the act, and 

 active operations were commenced immediately upon its approval. 



There are at present 45 contracts with owners of lands to convey to 

 the Government lands aggregating 268,G27 acres, situated in New 

 Hampshire, Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Georgia. 

 Negotiations are being conducted for the purchase of additional 

 areas in these States and others where the control of forests is essen- 

 tial to a conservation of the water flow in navigable rivers. One 

 tract of 8,213 acres in North Carolina has already been acquired by 

 the Government, and another tract of 32,000 acres in Georgia will 

 be acquired as soon as adjustment can be had in the condemnation 

 proceedings pending. The department's record examiners attached 

 to the Office of the Solicitor have already examined the titles to a 

 large portion of the lands embraced within the contracts for con- 

 veyance to the United States, and in several cases their reports have 

 been submitted to the Attorne}^ General. 



CONCLUSION. 



The record of 16 years has been written. It begins with a yearly 

 farm production worth $4,000,000,000 and ends with $9,532,000,000. 

 Then, farmers were loaded with debts that were a painful burden; 

 prosperity followed and grew with unexampled speed. Then, the 

 farmer was a joke of the caricaturist; now he is like the stone that 

 was rejected b}' the builder and has become the head stone of the 

 corner. Beginnings have been made in a production per acre in- 

 creasing faster than the natural increase of population. There has 

 been an uplift of agriculture and of country life. 



In this movement the department has been gradually equipped to 

 occupy a foremost place. It came to learn and it remained to teach. 

 Its influence penetrates the remotest neighborhood. It performs a 

 mission of welfare and happiness to farmers and to the whole Nation. 

 The millions of dollars that it costs are returned in tens of millions 

 of wealth saved and wealth produced. 



The department is prepared to continue and increase its public 

 service. During 16 years it has progressed from the kindergarten 

 through the primary, middle, and upper grades of develo2:)ment until 

 now it has a thousand tongues that speak with authority. Its teach- 



