NATIONAL COUNCIL OF HORTICULTURE 77 



recognizes both purposes, and it would be hard to say in the case of the 

 present national forests which purpose is of the greater importance. 



A national forest, while setting apart the land for forest produc- 

 tion, does not withdraw it from other uses, so far as it is adapted to 

 them. The great industries of agriculture, mining, grazing, and lumber- 

 ing are not excluded, but may go on to such an extent as will not 

 interfere with the main purpose for which the forest is set apart. 



A glance at the map of the western states shows how irregular in 

 most cases the boundaries of the national forests have been made in 

 order to include only lands of greater importance for forest than for 

 other purposes. The boundaries are made irregular to include the 

 mountain ranges and to exclude agricultural lands which lie in the 

 mountain parks or in valleys along the streams. But however carefully 

 the boundaries are located, large tracts of a million acres or more, 

 such as many of the national forests, can not be made entirely to 

 exclude agricultural lands. Recognizing this fact, the law now requires 

 that the agricultural lands within forest reserves shall be thrown open 

 for homestead entry. As rapidly as possible the national forests are 

 being examined, and lands suitable for agriculture are being opened 

 for settlement. 



Mining is not inimical to forest production, and hence goes on in 

 the national forests unrestricted. A vigilant outlook is maintained, 

 however, to prevent the taking of valuable timber lands through mining 

 laws where no evidence of minerals exists. 



The mountain ranges of the West, which constitute the national 

 forests, contain large areas of grazing lands. For many years these 

 lands have been the range of millions of live stock. Their exclusion 

 would mean great and unnecessary loss to the live-stock industry of 

 the West. On much of the forest land grazing can go on, and does 

 go on, to an extent not dangerous to the reproduction and growth of 

 the forest. During the season of 1906, 1,105,148 cattle and horses, and 

 5,763,100 sheep were grazed in the national forests, and the income 

 from grazing for the season was $550,000. Under management, the 

 range is rapidly improving. Its carrying capacity may be expected to 

 increase constantly for several years. 



Lumbering also goes on in the forests belonging to the govern- 

 ment. As one of the prime objects of the national forests is to pro- 

 duce wood, it follows that this timber, when mature, must be cut and 

 used. There is a large amount of mature timber in the western for- 

 ests, and it is being cut wherever there is a demand for it. It is not 

 cut by the government ; it is sold on the stump to lumbermen, who 

 cut the trees under the supervision of the Forest Service. During 1906, 

 the income from lumbering was $386,000. 



In addition, the forests are being used in many other ways for 

 the development of water powers, for the location of hotels, stores, 

 summer resorts, and for various rights of way. For some of these 

 purposes a fee is charged. 



Altogether, over a million dollars was received as returns from 

 the forests in 1906, which shows considerable use on the part of the 



