NATIONAL FOREST RESOURCES 195 



THE DISPOSAL OF TIMBER TO HOMESTEAD SETTLERS 

 AND UNDER FREE USE 



Besides selling the timber and other forest prod- 

 ucts outright, as has just been described, some tim- 

 ber is sold to settlers at cost and much timber is 

 given away to the local people under the free use 

 policy. 



Sales to Homestead Settlers and Farmers. 

 Sales to homestead settlers and farmers are made 

 without advertisement in any amount desired, at 

 the price fixed annually for each National Forest 

 region of similar conditions by the Secretary, as 

 equivalent to the actual cost of making and admin- 

 istering such sales. Only material to be used by 

 the purchaser for domestic purposes exclusively on 

 homesteads or farms is sold in this way. Such uses 

 include the construction or repair of farm buildings, 

 fences, and other improvements and fuel. Such 

 sales are restricted to mature dead and down timber 

 which may be cut without injury to the forest. 



Free Use. Free use of timber is granted pri- 

 marily to aid in the protection and silvicultural im- 

 provement of the Forests. Hence the material 

 taken is, except in unusual cases, restricted to dead, 



