4o6 Forestry Quarterly. 



the National Forests include roads, fire lines, telephone lines, 

 trails, bridges, fences and buildings. By the end of the fiscal 

 year 1913, these improvements had a value of almost $3,500,000. 

 Ten per cent of the receipts of the National Forests are de- 

 voted to the building of roads primarily for the benefit of the 

 public. In addition to this, 25 per cent of the gross receipts of 

 the National Forests reverts to the states for the benefit of county 

 schools and roads. In the fiscal years 1913 and 1914, the ten per 

 cent item will have amounted to considerably over $200,000 per 

 annum, w^hile the 25^ item v^ill mean an annual $500,000 for the 

 present fiscal year. 



Acquisition of Lands Under the Week's Bill. 



Up to the end of the fiscal year 1913, the National Forest 

 Reservation Commission approved for purchase a total of slightly 

 over 700,000 acres. These lands are located in 14 purchase areas 

 in the Southern Appalachians and White Mountains. The states 

 in which these lands are located are: Maine, New Hampshire, 

 Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Caro- 

 lina, Tennessee and Georgia. 



The work of the Forest Service in fire protection in these pur- 

 chase areas has already resulted in a great improvement in the 

 local sentiment on the forest fire question. Improvement work 

 on these lands has already been begun. 



Most of the land which has been bought is in a cut-over or 

 culled condition and in many cases only the inferior species are 

 left. Plans have already been made for the management of these 

 areas, especial attention having been given to the grazing busi- 

 ness and special permits, as well as to the timber sale business and 

 the proper restoration of the areas. 



Co-operaiion With States. 



The Weeks Law which began its operation on March i, 191 1 

 with an original appropriation of $200,000 to be expended in the 

 various states with a limit of $10,000 in any one state in any one 

 year has been productive of much good. Among the benefits 

 which have resulted because of this' co-operation are: — 



I. The shaping of forest policies and forest legislation in vari- 

 ous states. 



