of the adjacent lands absolutely useless for agri- 

 cultural purposes are better suited to forest growth 

 than any other use and could be bought cheaply 

 provided they could be acquired without the mineral 

 rights. 



(4) The inability of the Board to purchase surface 

 rights on land without the accompanying mineral 

 rights is a great obstacle to the acquisition of lands. 

 The holding of the mineral rights by private parties 

 would not in any way interfere with the State's de- 

 velopment of the forests 'on the land. If ore is later 

 discovered and proves to be more valuable than the 

 forest the mines should be opened up whether they 

 belong to the state or private owners. Vast areas of 

 excellent forest land ought not to be lying idle simply 

 because of the possibility that there may be ore under 

 it. The Board should have the power to acquire the 

 surface rights in land regardless of the mineral rights. 



(5) The Conservation Commission of the State of 

 Michigan has acquired approximately 600,000 acres 

 of forest land through the reversion to it of delin- 

 quent tax lands. According to the Michigan law, 

 lands on w r hich the taxes have been delinquent for 

 a certain period revert to the state without the right 

 of the owner to reclaim them, and become automatic- 

 ally a part of the state forests. This is an excellent 

 arrangement. If applied to established homes it 

 would be unjust ; but in the case of unsettled lands it 

 is perfectly just and reasonable. The good of the 

 public demands that all lands should be put to work. 

 It is even questionable whether a private owner 

 should be permitted to hold lands out of use< even 



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