THE NATIONAL FOREST RESERVES 



ia3 



the boundaries of the arid region, where wood and water liave 

 the highest vahie. 



It is now generally accepted that only a small propurtion of 

 the fertile lands of the West can ever he irrigated, owing to the 

 inadequacy of the water supply. Such being the case, it is ob- 



Millions of acres. 

 20 30 40 



Arizona. 



California. 



Colorado. 



Idaho. 



Montana. 



Nebraska. 



Nevada. 



New Mexico. 



North Dakota. 



Oklahoma. 



Oregon. 



South Dakota. 



Utah. 



Washington. 



Wyoming. 



»M 



mm 



=4H' I 



mm^i^ 



WOODLAND. 



Diagram illustrating proportion of vacant land.'!, classified according to grazing, \voo«l- 

 land, forest, and desert areas. 



vious that much of the land has little or no value, except a.s 

 furnishing scanty grazing. Agricultural land values thus rest 

 directly upon the ability to obtain water, and as this is limited, 

 the great bulk of the area of the West must apparently always be 

 devoted to pastoral purposes or to the growing of trees, where 

 the conditions are such that the.'^c will thrive. The United 



