6 MISC. PUBLICATION 290, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
McNary law. The system of national forests is being constantly 
enlarged through purchase of privately owned lands under the pro- 
visions of these laws. | 
Lands are not purchased indiscriminately nor in relatively small 
tracts widely distributed over large territories. Such a practice 
would increase the costs of protection, development, and administra- 
tion beyond practical limitations. 
Purchases are confined to specific and definitely bounded areas 
within which the Federal Government can expect to ultimately ac- 
quire all of the lands except those which are more valuable for other 
purposes than for forest uses. The average area of the purchase 
units established to date is slightly more than 400,000 acres, and an 
area in which it will not be practicable to acquire at least 100,000 
acres In reasonably compact form ordinarily is not considered. 
The general policy is to purchase only those lands which are volun- 
tarily offered by the owners. There is no exercise of the right of 
eminent domain or condemnation, except by agreement with the 
landowners as a means of quieting titles. The fact that private 
lands may be within a national forest in no way affects the use and 
management of such lands, so long as it does not result in injury to 
adjoining Federal properties. : 
On June 1, 1938, there were 86 established purchase areas; 4 in 
New England, 12 in the Appalachian region, 2 in the piedmont area 
of North and South Carolina, 17 in the southern pine region, 25 in 
the Ozark and central hardwood States, 10 in the Lake and upper 
Mississippi region, 15 in the Western States—Utah, Idaho, California, 
and Oregon—and 1 in Puerto Rico. 
Purchase work is conducted under direction of the Secretary of 
Agriculture, but no land may be paid for unless its purchase has 
been approved by the National Forest Reservation Commission, 
which consists of the Secretary of War, the Secretary of the Interior, 
the Secretary of Agriculture, two Members of the Senate, and two 
Members of the House of Representatives. 
Development of the national-forest system, especially in the east- 
ern half of the United States, was speeded up by purchase of land 
under the emergency relef programs. Nearly $45,000,000 of emer- 
gency funds were allotted this purpose during the years 1933 to 
1935, thus permitting the purchase of almost 11 million acres addi- 
tional to those previously acquired. ‘These purchases opened up 
large reservoirs of constructive public work for the relef of the 
unemployed. 
WISE USE—THE GUIDING PRINCIPLE 
The policy under which the national forests are administered by 
the Department of Agriculture through the Forest Service was laid 
down by the Secretary of Agriculture in a ietter to the Chief For- 
ester, dated February 1, 1905, in which he said: , 
In the administration of the forest reserves it must be clearly borne in mind 
that all land is to be devoted to its most productive use for the permanent 
good of the whole people and not for the temporary benefit of individuals or 
companies. 
All the resources of the forest reserves are for use, and this must be brought 
about in a thoroughly prompt and businesslike manner, under such restrictions 
only as will insure the permanence of these resourees. * * * You will see 
to it that the water, wood, and forage of the reserves are conserved and wisely 
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