REPORT OF THE FORESTER. 159 



with a view to future consequences which may not be realized for many 

 years. The work of protection irom fire is not only to prevent the 

 destruction of standing timber, but to save young growth and encour- 

 age the natural reproduction on lands which have been injured by pre- 

 vious abuse. Many millions ot trees are established each year by 

 planting or sowing," which will not come to maturity for a very long 

 time. A regulated system of grazing looks to the progressive upbuild- 

 ing of the Forest range as well as its present use; and the invest- 

 ment of public funds in extensive improvements is predicated on the 

 permanence ol the Government enterprise and would be unjustified on 

 any other basis. Hence it has been deemed of great importance to 

 push the work of land classification with all vigor. It is under this 

 policy that during the past year there have been segregated from the 

 National Forests by elimination more than 8,000,000 acres which were 

 found to be either of greater value if developed in connection with the 

 agricultural resources or not suited for the purposes for which the 

 Forests were set aside; and more than 1,100 individual tracts within 

 the Forests were made available for entry under the Forest home- 

 stead act. 



In direct line with the work of classifying the National Forests and 

 thereby establishing permanent boundaries of the lands which are to 

 remain in Government ownership, is the need for consolidating land 

 ownership where Government and private lands are interlocked. 

 Congress has recognized this need, and from time to time has granted 

 authority to exchange lands with private owners where such an 

 exchange would be advantageous to the Government through the 

 resulting consolidation of holdings. During the last session of Con- 

 gress authority was granted for an exchange of lands within three 

 different National Forests, namely, the Florida, the Oregon, and the 

 Whitman. Under the same policy exchanges have been or are being 

 negotiated with South Dakota, Montana, Idaho, and Washington for 

 the school sections in the National Forests. The consummation of 

 three' of these State exchanges now awaits final approval by Congress. 



At its last session Congress enacted two constructive measures 

 which have a great importance and a far-reaching significance in rela- 

 tion to the permanence of the Forests. These were the appropri- 

 ation ol' $10,000,000 for the construction of roads within the National 

 Forests and the appropriation of $3,000,000 to extend the National 

 Forests in the eastern mountains by purchase. 



The appropriation for the construction of roads will permit the 

 opening up of regions heretofore inaccessible, will greatly increase 

 the use of the resources in the Forests, will shorten routes of travel 

 across the States and between communities, will stimulate prospect- 

 ing and mining in mineral regions, and in a multitude of ways will 

 aid community upbuilding. The direct service of the roads in the 

 work of fire protection and in increasing the returns from the Forests, 

 both in general public benefit and in direct receipts, will be very 

 great. Under the terms of the law, the cost of the roads will be 

 returned to the Government from a portion of the National Forest 

 receipts, as these may accrue. It is therefore an advance on future 

 receipts. This action is in direct line with the policy of placing the 

 National Forest enterprise on a permanent and stable basis of sound 

 public business. 



