86 An American Forest Administration. [270 



timber lands in the hands of the general govern- 

 ment for the present is conceded by the unbiased 

 students of the question, provided the general gov- 

 ernment will do what is necessary to preserve and 

 keep in permanent forest condition this property. 



If we agree that the administration of these lands 

 is best left to the present owner of them, namely, 

 the United States Government, the next question 

 concerns practicable methods in their administration. 



The first need is a proper classification of the 

 remaining public lands, and the withdrawal from 

 entry and permanent reservation of the forest 

 lands. 



The withdrawal of these lands might be done by 

 gradual reservations of single parks, of which we 

 have several based, however, upon other considera- 

 tions, than those of a rational forest policy but if the 

 withdrawal is deemed necessary at all it would be 

 wiser to reserve all that is necessary and desirable to 

 reserve at once, while still in the hands of the gov- 

 ernment and not entirely devastated. 



The practical method of withdrawing the lands to 

 be reserved is one of gradual exclusion, requiring 

 those entering public lands for occupancy under 

 homestead and other laws, to make affidavit to the 

 effect that the lands so entered are chiefly valuable 

 for agricultural pursuits, and not for the timber 

 mainly. Meanwhile examination of all entries so 

 made as well as of unentered sections, will gradually 

 make known the character of the land and furnish 

 a basis for the determination of the extent of 

 the reserve. The final survey of these lands also 

 mil be made gradually and without much extra 

 expense. 



