NOTES 625 



required to publish in local papers for a period of ten days a full state- 

 ment of its intentions, stating the sum and rate of interest to be paid. 

 In case a protest is filed before the expiration of the period of adver- 

 tisement, signed by at least 25 per cent of the qualified electors of the 

 municipality, the question must then be submitted in an election, requir- 

 ing for passage the approval of a majority of the qualified electors. 



This law is to be commended as eminently v^'ise and timely and should 

 be widely considered. Similar action by other States would remove a 

 serious difficulty that came up in hundreds of cases in the eastern 

 United States last winter, preventing cities and towns from taking 

 active relief measures in keeping the people warm and supplying power 

 to essential commercial enterprises. 



W. R. M. 



Col. Henry S. Graves, Forester of the United States Forest Service, 

 has been elected honorary member of the Royal Scottish Arboricul- 

 tural Society of Edinburgh, Scotland, in recognition of his eminent 

 services to forestry. This distinction is shared by Colonel Graves with 

 only one other citizen of this country. Dr. C. S. Sargent, who was 

 elected in 1889. 



The National Forest Reservation Commission's report for the year 

 ending June 30, 1917, has been printed as H. R. Doc. No. 564, Sixty- 

 fifth Congress, second session — a pamphlet of only ten pages. From 

 this the following facts are disclosed : 



During the fiscal year only 175,463 acres have been added to the 

 Eastern reserves, mostly to consolidate previous purchases, the prices 

 ranging from $3.19 to $6.90, axeraging $4.86 per acre, the total ex- 

 penditure being $852,524. Previously purchased or approved for pur- 

 chase were 1,501,357 acres, averaging $5.22 per acre, although so far 

 only 947,197 acres have been actually acquired. Of the 1.5 million 

 acres, around ^]=, per cent in virgin timber, 10 ])er cent young growth, a 

 similar amount burned. l)rirren and with unmerchantable timber. 23,251 

 acres abandoned farms, the balance culled and cut over. The total of 

 the White Mountain purchases comprise around 450,000 acres. The 

 detail of purchases is given in a table. Of the original $1 1,000,000 ap- 

 ])ro])riated in 191 1 and reappropriated, altogether $8,348.^)1^) have lieen 

 used, leaving over 2.^ million dollars available. 



A^ regards development of tiu'sc lands, there are now 421 nn'les of 

 telephone lines find 850 inile^ of trail constructed and a number of 



