154 THE USE BOOK. 



SURVEYS WITHIN FOREST RESERVES. 



The act of March 3, 1899, makes the surveying of 

 forest reserve lands identical in all but the establish- 

 ment of boundaries with that of the public domain. 

 Where survey to permit the patenting of valid claims 

 is desired, application should be made to surveyors- 

 general, and action thereon will be governed by the 

 usual considerations. 



(For special surveys allowed in the forest reserves, 

 see Appendix, p. 175.) 



CREATION OF FOREST RESERVES ADDITIONS AND 

 ELIMINATIONS. 



It is usually by Presidential proclamation that forest 

 reserves are created, revoked; or modified in boundary; 

 although, as a matter of course, Congress may take 

 such action, and has done so in a few cases. (Ap- 

 pendix, pp. 157, 161, 165, 166.) 



The boundaries of the earlier reserves were not 

 always carefully drawn. In 1903 the need of better 

 choice of reserve- boundaries led to the establishment 

 of a force of trained men devoted exclusively to this 

 work, under a uniform and complete system of field 

 study and report. The results were satisfactory, and 

 the system remains in effect. Before any new forest 

 reserve is created, or any change is made in the bound- 

 ary of an existing reserve, a member of the Forest 

 Service familiar with the work and with western con- 

 ditions makes a careful investigation, not only of the 

 lands, but also of the interests involved. The claims 

 of all industries and classes of residents are weighed, 

 in order that no injustice may be done. 



