38 SURVEYS OP FOREST RESERVES. 



exclude all agricultural land from the reserves. Instances are not 

 uncommon in which laud of this character is so intermingled with the 

 forest that to attempt to exclude every parcel by name would involve 

 very great expense for surveys and a most unwieldy multiplicity of 

 detail. The great danger to the reserves which must result from long 

 delay in establishing their status pending the surveys forms a still 

 more serious objection to this plan. It is estimated that five years will 

 be required to complete these sarveys at the present rate of expenditure. 

 Fortunately it appears to be as unnecessary to attempt to survey out 

 every 40 acre tract which might eventually be used for agricultural pur- 

 poses as it would be slowj dangerous, and costly. It is true that the con- 

 tribution of agricultural lauds to the national wealth is greater than that 

 of equal areas of forest, and the conclusion follows that it would be unwise 

 to hinder the development of any such lands which may lie within the 

 reserves. The presence of settlers in a reserve is not undesirable, pro- 

 vided suitable regulations are made and enforced, nor will the reserve 

 work any hardship to the settler. Protection against fire requires men, 

 who can not be had without long delay unless there are settlements near 

 at haud. Xo other forest is so safe as that which lies near a commu- 

 nity interested in its preservation. Two courses seem open, each of 

 which offers a solution of this question. The first is to offer to settlers 

 the possession of small bodies of agricultural land under license for a 

 term of years in considi-ration of assistance to be rendered in the pro- 

 tection of the reserves. Such licenses should be forfeited upon proof 

 of the commission of offenses against forest laws or regulations, and 

 renewal should be refused to license holders who have not fulfilled their 

 obligations toward the forest. This plan has the great advantage of 

 controlling, to some extent, the settlers within the reserves, g-nd of 

 securing their cooperation. On the other baud it makes the settler's 

 tenure of his land and improvements dependent, to some extent, upon 

 the arbitrary judgment of the forest officers, and it engages the Gov- 

 ernment in business as a landlord. The other plan, although intrinsic- 

 ally less effective, seems more feasible at the moment. It involves a 

 general provision like that outlined below. When a proclamation of the 

 President is issued assigning new boundaries to any reserve, it may be 

 made to include a paragraph exempting from its provisions any lands 

 which are more valuable for agriculture than for forest purposes, and 

 which shall be shown to be such to the satisfaction of the Secretary of 

 the Interior. A definition by the Secretary may then establish the 

 meaning of tlie term "agricultural lands," and filings for homestead 

 entry may be required to include both a special affidavit to the non- 

 forest character of the lands, and a certificate from the resident forest 

 officer to the effect that the lands in question fall within the Secretary's 

 definition. A more explicit reference to this matter will be found on 

 page 4:7, where its relation to existing laws is briefly noted. 



PASTURAGE. 



The character of the forest in certain portions of the reserves fits it 

 to furnish pasturage to large numbers of domestic animals during cer- 

 tain periods of its growth. Injury from grazing will be slight, or alto- 

 gether wanting, provided horses, cattle, and sheep are excluded from 

 those portions in which the immediate reproduction of the forest is 

 desired. Grazing does little harm to old trees. To young growth it 

 is usually fatal. Sheep, in particular, are so dangerous that their exclu- 

 sion is a prime condition of the successful reproduction of the forest. 



