34 THE BOOK OF FORESTRY 



Much of the privately owned power is being held 

 against the day when it will be more valuable, but the 

 Government, while anxious to have the power sites it 

 still owns quickly developed, is absolutely opposed to 

 their sale. The method appoved by the Forest Ser- 

 vice advocates the lease of such sites for a long term 

 with the privilege of regulating the rates charged to the 

 local consumer of power. When once the power people 

 realize that Uncle Sam intends to hold on to his supply 

 of "white coal/' as water power is frequently called, 

 development will go on apace. 



The question of flood prevention and erosion is 

 largely a matter of State and individual concern, al- 

 though the proper kind of agriculture on steep slopes 

 alternating belts of forest, contour plowing and 

 terracing will help as far as erosion is concerned. 

 The prevention of floods is largely a problem of the 

 various States, although in some cases where a par- 

 ticularly unmanageable river rises in one State and 

 inflicts heavy damage on an adjoining State, Govern- 

 ment aid may be necessary. With the Forest Service 

 acquiring lands on the headwaters of the larger streams 

 and with the numerous State and local organizations 

 being formed interested in the waterways and rivers 

 of the country, progress along these lines must surely 

 be made. 



The mineral lands which have passed into private 

 hands are of course the property of the present owners 

 to be handled as they see fit. They were acquired for 

 the most part for very little money and as a con- 

 sequence a certain amount of waste was not surprising. 

 With the rapid decrease in the nation's supply of iron, 

 oil, natural gas, etc., the price will rapidly rise, and 

 the increase in value will doubtless lead to more 



