1905 



FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 



403 



age to various property interests along 

 streams rising in the Southern Appa- 

 lachian region. Disastrous floods will 

 continue to increase in severity unless 

 mountain slopes are protected from 

 fire and wasteful cutting. This region 

 is one which receives an unusually 

 heavy rainfall. The- heavy mountain 

 rain storms cannot, of course, be pre- 

 vented, and it is but natural that with 

 such torrential rains falling on steep 

 mountain sides floods are bound to 

 occur. But with proper care of the 

 forests the danger and damage can be 

 minimized. In order that these forests 

 may be used to best advantage for 

 water control, a change in their hand- 

 ling must come very speedily. 



Agriculture. The agricultural pos- 

 sibilities of this region would, under 

 a reserve administration, be directed 

 jinto proper channels. Those areas 

 [that are best suited to a-griculture 

 would be studied and pointed out, and 

 [ :he use of them encouraged, while the 

 Liselessness of attempting to 'farm the 

 ;teep upper slopes of the mountains, 

 t.s shown by the sad experiences of 

 nany settlers, would be averted. Care- 

 ful forest management would directly 

 benefit agriculture. Protection of 

 inountain slopes would mean greater 

 'mmunity from floods in the valleys, 



nd consequently greater stability to 



griculture. 



Health and Pleasure Possibilities. 

 "he health-giving qualities, and the 

 eautiful scenery of this region are 

 nexcelled, and it is accessible to a 

 irger number of people than any oth- 

 : .r in the United States. The estab- 

 shment of the proposed forest re- 

 erve would insure in an adequate de- 

 ree, the protection of fish and game, 

 nd offer opportunities for the build- 

 ig of resort hotels, summer homes, 

 : :c. It would encourage not only the 

 usiness man to use the resources of 

 jie country, but it would be an effec- 

 ve and increasing impetus to settle- 

 ent by people there for health and 

 easure, and to tourist travel. 



POLICY OF THE FOREST SERVICE IN 

 HANDLING FOREST RESERVES. 



The following extract from the reg- 

 ulations and instructions of the Forest 

 Service in handling the western forest 

 reserves gives a clear view of the gov- 

 ernment's attitude toward the public 

 where their interests touch : 



"The timber, water, pasture, min- 

 eral, and other resources of the forest 

 reserves are for the use of the people. 

 They may be obtained under reason- 

 able conditions, without delay. Legiti- 

 mate improvements and business en- 

 terprises will be encouraged." 



FOREST RESERVE. PRIVILEGES GRANTED 

 BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. 

 The following are the more usual 

 rights and privileges granted in the 

 forest reserves, based upon demands 

 already made upon the Forest Ser- 

 vice. Other privileges which do not 

 amount to a disposal of the land are 

 granted. In fact requests for privi- 

 leges are encouraged along any line 

 that utilizes the resources of the re- 

 serves in a proper manner, the whole 

 plan, as stated before, being to devel- 

 op the resources of the forest reserv.es 

 to their highest point of usefulness 

 consistent with good business manage- 

 ment. 



(a) Trails and roads to be used by 

 settlers living in or near forest re- 

 serves. 



(b) Schools and churches. 



(c) Hotels, stores, mills, stage sta- 

 tions, apiaries, miners' camps, stables, 

 summer residences, sanitariums, dai- 

 ries, trappers' cabins, and the like. 



(d) Grazing and agricultural privi- 

 leges, together with such inclosures, 

 etc., as may be necessary for the use 

 of such privileges and not harmful to 

 the forest reserves. 



(e) Canals, ditches, flumes, pipe 

 lines, tunnels, dams, tanks, and reser- 

 voirs, within forest reserves. 



(f) Steamboats and ferries operated 

 within forest reserves. 



(g) Aerial tramways and wire-rope 

 conveyors. 



(IV) Railroad, tramroads. telegraph, 

 telephone, or electric power lines, and 



