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MISC. PUBLICATION 290, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



be classified for the purpose of determining those which are chiefly 

 valuable for agriculture, has resulted in practically all agricultural 

 lands within the national forests being homesteaded. 



Mineral deposits within national forests, except such forests as are 

 purchased under the act of March 1, 1911, are open to development 

 exactly as on unreserved public land unless otherwise provided by 

 special acts of Congress. 



Figure 4. — Forest officer scaling timber on the Idaho National Forest. 



MANAGEMENT OF TIMBER RESOURCES 



Ripe standing timber on the national forests is sold at a fair 

 price. Anyone may purchase timber, but no one may obtain a mon- 

 opoly of it or hold it for speculative purposes. It is desirable to sell 

 the mature timber on the forests when it is no longer growing at a 

 profitable rate and should give way to younger trees and seedlings 

 which will constitute succeeding crops of timber. Not all timber 

 in the national forests is subject to sale. Wherever trees have a 

 higher value for scenic, recreational, or other uses, they are pre- 

 served. 



Purchasers of timber are required to observe such restrictions as 

 will insure cut-Over areas being left in the best condition for future 

 growth. Experienced foresters estimate the quantity and quality 

 of national-forest timber and its approximate value. In fixing the 

 value all factors which affect the cost of lumbering, such as acces- 

 sibility, number and kind of improvements necessary, as well as 

 general market conditions, are taken into account. Minimum prices 

 are then set which allow the purchaser of national-forest timber 



