1 86 



FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 



April 



species ; but no feature of the forest 

 conditions is more marked than the 

 prevalence of young trees along the 

 ravines and smaller streams, indicating 

 a recent extension of the forest area. 



From a comparison of the timber along 

 the Missouri and Nemaha rivers with 

 that of the smaller streams ; from the 

 comparatively rapid extension of forest 



areas along these streams and the re- 

 cent forestation of their tributaries ; 

 from the abundant spreading of forest 

 trees along road sides, fence rows, and 

 waste places everywhere, the evidence 

 appears to be conclusive that in north- 

 eastern Kansas the natural conditions 

 are favorable to the rapid extension of 

 forest areas. 



FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION IN CONGRESS 



A CALENDAR OF NATIONAL LEGISLATION PERTAINING TO 

 CONSERVATION OF OUR WOODS, WATERS, AND PUBLIC LANDS. 



February 29. 



In the House : By Mr. Rodey : A 

 bill (H. R. 13206) to amend an act en- 

 titled ' 'An act appropriating the receipts 

 from the sale and disposal of public lands 

 in certain states and territories to the 

 construction of irrigation works for the 

 reclamation of arid lands." 



March J. 



The House disagreed to the amend- 

 ments of the Senate to the bill (H. R. 

 11825) making appropriations for the 

 Department of Agriculture for the fiscal 

 year ending June 30, 1905. 



By Mr. Humphrey, of Washington : 

 A bill (H. R. 13291) for the protection 

 of game animals, birds, and fishes in 

 the Olympic Forest Reserve, in the 

 State of Washington. 



March 7. 



The following message and the accom- 

 panying report were received : 



To the Senate and House of Representa- 

 tives : 



I submit herewith the preliminary re- 

 port of the Public Lands Commission 

 appointed by me October 22, 1903, to 

 report upon the condition, operation, and 

 effect of the present land laws and to 

 recommend such changes as are needed 

 to effect the largest practicable disposi- 

 tion of the public lands to actual settlers 

 who will build permanent homes upon 

 them, and to secure in permanence the 

 fullest and most effective use of the re- 

 sources of the public lands. The sub- 

 ject is one of such great importance and 



great intricacy that it is impossible for 

 the Commission to report in full thereon 

 at this time. It is now ready, however, 

 to suggest certain changes in the law as 

 set forth in the accompanying report. 

 I commend these suggestions to the fa- 

 vorable consideration of the Congress. 

 THEODORE ROOSEVELT. 



WHITE HOUSE, March 7, /?o/. 



March 8. 



In the House : By Mr. L/acey : A bill 

 (H. R. 13631) to provide for the entry 

 of agricultural lands within forest re- 

 serves. 



Also a bill (H. R. 13632) to provide 

 for the disposal of timber on public 

 lands chiefly valuable for timber, and 

 for other purposes. 



Also a bill (H. R. 13633) to regulate 

 the disposal of public lands released 

 and excluded from public forest reser- 

 vations. 



March 9. 



In the Senate : Mr. Fulton, from the 

 Committee on Public Lands, reported 

 adversely on the bill (S. 2993) to 

 amend the first section of an act enti- 

 tled "An act authorizing the citizens of 

 Colorado, Nevada, and the territories 

 to fell and remove timber on the public 

 domain for mining and domestic pur- 

 poses. ' ' 



The bill (S. 2994) extending the 

 privileges of the above mentioned act to 

 citizens of Oregon, Washington, and 

 California was reported without amend- 

 ment. 



