Current Literature and Reviews. 63 



The government policy of donating public lands to wagon road 

 and railroad companies is still being actively pursued ; on page 53 

 the following statement is made : 



' ' There have been certified and patented during the fiscal year 

 ended June 30, 1902, under the several land grants made by Con- 

 gress to aid the construction of railroads and wagon roads 5,008,- 

 132 acres of land, an increase as compared with the preceding 

 year of 2,371,780 acres." 



The Hon. Binger Hermann, Commissioner of the General lyand 

 Office, in summary makes a number of recommendations, of 

 which the following have special interest : 



4. Renews recommendation of a repeal of existing laws with 

 regard to timber on the unreserved public lands, and the passage 

 in their stead of a general law which will provide ample protec- 

 tion for the forests and at the same time furnish a means by which 

 monopolies, settlers, miners, and others may secure a sufficient 

 supply of timber for their legitimate needs. 



5. Recommends larger appropriation for an increased number 

 of special agents for the prevention of depredations upon public 

 timber and protection of the public lands from unlawful entry or 

 appropriation. 



6. Renews recommendation of a change in the law providing 

 for an exchange of lands embraced in forest reserves held by pri- 

 vate owners for public lands not in reservation, so as to secure an 

 approximation in value of the lands relinquished with those 

 selected in lieu thereof. 



Message from the President of the United States : transmitting 

 A Report of the Secretary of Agriculture in Relation to the 

 Forests, Rivers, and Mountains of the Southern Appalachian 

 Region. Pp. 208 ; PI. 78. 



This report is the result of extensive investigations authorized 

 by the last Congress. It includes the following subordinate re- 

 ports of independent investigators : Forests and Forest Condi- 

 tions in the Southern Appalachians, by H. B. Ayers and W. W. 

 Ashe ; lyumbering in the Southern Appalachians, by Overton 

 W. Price ; Description of the Southern Appalachian Forests by 

 River Basins, by H. B. Ayers and W. W. Ashe ; Trees of the 

 Southern Appalachians, by W. W. Ashe and H. B. Ayers ; 

 List of Shrubs of the Southern Appalachians, by W. W. Ashe ; 



