62 THE USE BOOK. 



survey, it must be described by reference to subdivision, section, township, 

 and range within which it is located. If the tract is not covered by a public- 

 land survey, it must be described by reference to natural objects, streams, or 

 improvements with sufficient accuracy to identify it. Applications must be filed 

 with the district forester of the district in which the tract applied for is 

 situated. An application which is not in the form prescribed above will be re- 

 turned to the applicant for correction. Priority of application will be deter- 

 mined by the order in which applications are filed with the district forester 

 in the form prescribed herein. (Issued December 19, 1911, to take effect 

 February 1, 1912.) 



REGULATION L-52. The Secretary of Agriculture will not consider the quali- 

 fication under the homestead laws of applicants for the examination and list- 

 ing of lands under the act of June 11, 1906. (Issued December 19, 1911, to t;:ke 

 effect February 1, 1912.) 



REGULATION L-53. The rejection by the district forester of an application 

 for the examination and listing of lands under the act of June 11, 1906, shall 

 be final unless the applicant shall within 30 days after receipt of the district 

 forester's decision, in wJhich will be stated the grounds for such rejection, file 

 with the district forester a petition for review of such decision by the Forester. 

 The affirmance by the Forester of the district forester's decision shall be final 

 unless within 60 days after notice of such affirmance the applicant shall file 

 with the Forester a petition for review of his decision by the Secretary of Agri- 

 culture. Every petition for review provided for in the regulation shall state 

 the grounds upon which it is based, and shall be accompanied by a full, clear, 

 and succinct statement of all the material facts in the case, together with such 

 argument as the petitioner may care to submit. ( Issued December 19, 1911, to 

 take effect February 1, 1912.) 



The act of June 11, 1906 (34 Stat, 233), known as the National Forest 

 homestead act, provides for the acquisition by qualified entrymen of agricul- 

 tural lands within National Forests. This act is in effect an extension of the 

 general provisions of the homestead laws to agricultural lands within National 

 Forests, with the essential difference that the land must be classified by the 

 Secretary of Agriculture as chiefly valuable for agriculture, and that no com- 

 mutation is allowed. 



CLASSIFICATION OF AGRICULTURAL LANDS. 



The National Forests are being classified as rapidly as possible to segregate 

 the lands chiefly valuable for agriculture, and make them available for home 

 seekers. Wherever considerable bodies of such lands are found, they are either 

 eliminated from the Forest or are listed with the Secretary of the Interior, to 

 be opened to entry under the Forest homestead act. Tbe bulk of the agricul- 

 tural land in the National Forests occurs as scattered individual tracts along 

 streams, the bottom of ravines and swales, and on narrow benches and on the 

 base of slopes. These scattered tracts, which may be used to build up a home, 

 are sought out and settlement encouraged. Home seekers may apply for tracts 

 which may seem to them to offer the opportunity for a farm. These areas 

 applied for are given the preference in the classification work, and are exam- 

 ined as expeditiously as possible. If found chiefly valuable for agriculture and 

 not needed for public purposes, they are listed with the Secretary of the Interior 

 to be opened to entry. 



The use and occupancy of the agricultural lands in the Forests is desired 

 from every standpoint. Every added home helps in the upbuilding of the coun- 

 try. The Forests are to serve the people in the permanent development of homes 

 and industries. In addition, the settler is n great help practically a necessity 

 in the protection and development of the Forest itself. Every strip of cleared 

 land is a fire break; every ranch is a vantage point to prevent and fight tires; 

 every settler may become a Forest protector. 



ADDITIONAL HOMESTEAD RIGHTS TO CERTAIN SETTLERS. 



The act also gives an additional homestead right of entry upon lands which 

 have been listed as chiefly valuable for agriculture, to settlers upon such lands 

 on January 1, 1906, who, prior to the passage of the act, had exercised or lost 

 their homestead rights, but who are otherwise competent to enter under the 



