268 FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION June 



sible under the land laws to obtain terior shall declare the said lands open 

 title to forest reserve land, and they to homestead settlement and entry in 

 hesitated about planting orchards or tracts not exceeding one hundred and 

 even building thoroughly comfortable sixty acres in area and not exceeding 

 homes for fear that in the future, one mile in length, at the expiration of 

 either through whim or through need- sixty days from the filing of the list 

 ing the land for administrative pur- in the land office of the district within 

 poses, the Forester might revoke their which the lands are located, during 

 permits and eject them from the re- which period the said list or descrip- 

 serve. The Forester was so keenly tion shall be prominently posted in the 

 alive to this hardship and deterring in- land office and advertised for a period 

 fluence that he recommended to Con- of not less than four weeks in one 

 gress, even before the forest reserves newspaper of general circulation pub- 

 were transferred to his care, that a law lished in the county in which the lands 

 be passed to give opportunity, under are situated : Provided, That any set- 

 reasonable restrictions, for acquiring tier actually occupying and in good 

 the title to forest reserve lands chiefly faith claiming such lands for agricul- 

 valuable for agriculture. A bill to this tural purposes prior to January first, 

 effect was introduced in the Second nineteen hundred and six, and who 

 and again in the Third Session of the shall not have abandoned the same, 

 Fifty-eighth Congress, but failed of and the person, if qualified to make a 

 passage. Last winter, however, Mr. homestead entry, upon whose applica- 

 Lacey reintroduced the bill and ac- tion the land proposed to be entered 

 cepted several valuable amendments was examined and listed, shall, each 

 suggested by the Forester and by local in the order named, have a preference 

 interests. In its amended form the bill right of settlement and entry : Pro- 

 was finally signed by the President vided further, That any entryman de- 

 June ii, 1906: It reads as follows: siring to obtain patent to any lands 

 Be it enacted, etc., That the Secre- described by metes and bounds entered 

 tary of Agriculture may, in his discre- by him under the provisions of this 

 tion, and he is hereby authorized, upon Act shall, within five years of the date 

 application or otherwise, to examine of making settlement, file, with the re- 

 and ascertain as to the location and ex- quired proof of residence and cultiva- 

 tent of lands within permanent or tern- tion, a plat and field notes of the lands 

 porary forest reserves, except the fol- entered, made by or under the direc- 

 lowing counties in the State of Cali- tion of the United States surveyor- 

 fornia : Inyo, Tulare, Kern, San Luis general, showing accurately the 

 Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los boundaries of such lands, which shall 

 Angeles, San Bernardino, Orange, be distinctly marked by monuments 

 Riverside, and San Diego ; which are on the ground, and by posting a copy 

 chiefly valuable for agriculture, and of such plat, together with a notice of 

 which, in his opinion, may be occupied the time and olace of offering proof, in 

 for agricultural purposes without in- a conspicuous place on the land em- 

 jury to the forest reserves, and which braced in such plat during the period 

 are not needed for public purposes, prescribed by law for the publication 

 and may list and describe the same by of his notice of intention to offer 

 metes and bounds, or otherwise, and proof, and that a copy of such plat and 

 file the lists and descriptions with the field notes shall also be kept posted in 

 Secretary of the Interior, with the re- the office of the register of the land 

 quest that the said lands be opened to office for the land district in which 

 entry in accordance with the provis- such lands are situated for a like pe- 

 ions of the homestead laws and this riod ; and further, that any agricul- 

 Act. tural lands within forest reserves may, 

 Upon the filing of any such list or at the discretion of the Secretary, be 

 description the Secretary of the In- surveyed by metes and bounds, and 



