30G 



AMERICAN FORESTRY 



measure sustains a point made in an edi- 

 torial in this magazine a few months ago, 

 that the manner of expenditure of the 

 lunds entrusted to the Forest Service is 

 ruite closely determined by Congress itself 

 and the charges in regard to the expendi- 

 tures of the Service made by some sena- 

 tors and representatives for political effect 

 therefore fall to the ground. 



Boundary Changes 



A recent presidential proclamation has 

 eliminated 276,424 acres in California from 

 the Inyo National Forest and added 80,532 

 acres, the greater part of which is located 

 in California, with a small portion lying in 

 Nevada. Most of the land eliminated lies 

 along the Owens River Valley, where the 

 question as to the proper boundary for the 

 forest has been much discussed. The 

 Owens River settlers have been urgent to 



have the forest area reduced, but the repre- 

 sentatives of the city of Los Angeles have 

 regarded the retention of the land by the 

 government as essential to the success of 

 its great aqueduct project, intended to as- 

 sure the municipality an abundant supply 

 of pure water from the Sierras, 250 miles 

 away. The elimination now made is the 

 result of an agreement finally arrived at 

 by representatives of the Owens River 

 settlers, the Forest Service, and the city 

 of Los Angeles whereby the conflict of 

 views and interests was adjusted on a basis 

 which commands the assent of all parties. 

 The president also signed a proclamation 

 adding 141,123 acres to the Fishlake Na- 

 tional Forest, Utah. The same proclama- 

 tion eliminates 1,276 acres from the forest. 

 Both changes in the forest boundary take 

 place in the eastern division, in Sevier and 

 Wayne counties. No change is made in 

 the boundary of the western (Glenwood) 

 division. 



STATE WORK 



California 



Forestry and conservation measures have 

 been subjects of contention in the Califor- 

 nia legislature but the senate on March 22d 

 passed the assembly bill creating a Cali- 

 fornia Conservation Commission and ap- 

 propriating $100,000 for its work in the 

 next two years. The commission is to con- 

 sist of five members, to be appointed by 

 the governor, and to serve without com- 

 pensation beyond having their actual ex- 

 penses paid. The commission is to gather 

 data and information concerning forestry, 

 water and water-power, electricity, mines 

 and mining, mineral and other lands, 

 dredging, reclamation and irrigation, and 

 is to advise the next legislature what laws 

 should be passed. 



Maine 



Governor Plaisted on Monday, April 10, 

 appointed Frank E. Mace to succeed Edgar 

 E. Ring, as state forest commissioner and 

 land agent. Mr. Ring had held the oflice 

 tor ten years. 



Michigan 



The Grand Rapids Press says: If Michi- 

 gan is to have forest reserves the $30,000 

 i(S-ked by the public domain commission 

 to carry on the work should be granted. 

 To provide a body with the powers accord- 

 ed this and then to deny it the means to 

 carry on its work is a policy which will 



land the state nowhere. With the present 

 attention being given to the development 

 of western Michigan the need for the ap- 

 propriation sought becomes apparent. 



The bill, which has passed the senate 

 and now is in the hands of the committee 

 on ways and means in the house, provides 

 for an immigration bureau and in addition 

 authorizes the commission to inaugurate a 

 vigorous conservative policy. The former 

 feature alone means much to this section 

 of the state. Settlers on the land now 

 unoccupied would bring a wide and sub- 

 stantial prosperity to this district, endowed 

 by nature with great possibilities and lack- 

 ing only men and women to reap and dis- 

 tribute the benefit of its resources. If these 

 practical aims are to be achieved and the 

 280,000 acres set aside as forest reserves 

 are to be protected from fire and waste 

 money must be provided. The $9,500 under 

 which the forestry commission, which pre- 

 ceded the present body, operated is inade- 

 quate for the big work which must be done. 

 The reserves now are scattered in fifty- 

 five counties, while the former appropria- 

 tion was for the care of but two reserves 

 or a total of about 45,000 acres. 



The presence on the commission of 

 Charles W. Garfield, of Grand Rapids, 

 should be an assurance to the representa- 

 tives from this district that concrete re- 

 sults are within reach for every dollar ex- 

 pended. Mr. Garfield's long experience in 

 this particular field is a guarantee that 

 the money will not be wasted. 



