Mining claims 



"The mining laws t " Kr, Graves says, "afford the great-, 

 est cloak for land frauds in the national forests, and fraudulent 

 mining claims are initiated by men and interests having no connec- 

 tion whatever with the mining industry*" The mining laws, for exam- 

 ple, have been used to cover towns! te and timber claims, to secure 



farms and ranches, to secure mineral springs, sites for saloons, 

 water power sites, and stock watering places* 



It has often been asserted that the national forests have 







operated as a bar to legitimate mining development. Figures col- 

 lected in Colorado during the past year show that, if anything, 

 there is more activity in prospecting on the national forests than 

 outside. 



"As with the stock industry, the proper relations 

 of the forest service with the mining industry should 

 be cooperative.' 1 



Classifying lr y nds for use 



One of the largest tasks of the service during the past 

 year has been the classification of la.nds within the national for- 

 ests in respect to their highest future use. This work was under- 

 taken during 1913 on a more comprehensive scale than ever before, 

 because there was a specific appropriation for the purpose. Large 

 areas are being classified where the araounfe of land chiefly valuable 

 for agriculture warrants its being taken out of the forests, and it 

 also takes care of areas on which detailed classification will dis- 

 close small areas suitable for agricultural development within the 

 forests, The work is being carried on with the assistance f the 



