236 Forestry Quarterly. 



and it is confidently felt that the Association will be greatly strength- 

 ened through the efforts of the new Secretary. 



Wm. M. Maule, a forester in the PhilijDpine Bureau of Forestry, 

 is enroute to the United States, via Europe, on leave of absence. 

 Mr. Maule has been in the Philippine Islands since the early part 

 of 1902 and is noming home to enjoy a well-earned vacation. 



By the passage on June 11, I906, of "An Act to provide for the 

 entry of agricultural lands within forest reserves," Congress has re- 

 moved the only justifiable cause for complaint against the establish- 

 ment of federal reserves. 



This act authorizes the Secretar}^ of Agriculture to classify and 

 list all lands within reserves (except certain counties in California 

 and the Black Hills Reserve) which are chiefly valuable for agricul- 

 ture and are not needed for public purposes. He may then request 

 the Secretary of the Interior to open these lands to entry under the 

 homestead laws. 



Any person who wishes to homestead land within a reserve may 

 now apply to the Forester of the Forest Service for an examination 

 of the desired tract. If this tract is found to be agricultural land 

 and is not needed for administrative purposes by the Forest Service, 

 it will be classified and listed under this act and settlement upon it 

 will be allowed. 



The first lands to be examined will be those occupied by actual 

 settlers prior to January 1, 1906, so that if the lands are found to be 

 agricultural in character the occupant may make his entry under this 

 act. Mere occupancy of the land will not, however, influence the de- 

 cision with respect to its suitability for agricultural purposes. 



Any settlement later than December 31, 1905, upon an area not 

 yet declared open to entry by the Department of the Interior will 

 be considered as trespass, and the trespasser will be ejected. Land 

 which is now covered with merchantable timber will be opened for 

 settlement only if is is shown to be exceptionally well adapted for 

 agricultural purposes. 



As soon as the income derived from timber sales and grazing fees 

 is sufficient to place the federal forest reserves on a self-supporting 

 basis, the number of rangers will be increased until each reserve is 

 fully officered. This will mean a forest officer for approximately 

 every toAvnship, and it is intended that each man shall have his per- 

 manent station and be provided with suitable quarters. These sta- 

 tions will be located on mountain meadows, parks, and bottoms, so 



