effectiveness, and common sense. In the management of each reserve local questions 

 will be decided upon local grounds; the dominant industry will be considered first, 

 but with as little restriction of minor industries as may be possible; sudden changes in 

 industrial conditions will be avoided by gradual adjustment after due notice; and 

 where conflicting interests must be reconciled, the question will always be decided 

 from the standpoint of the greatest good of the greatest number in the long run. 



The Forest Service has endeavored to follow these wise principles. 



Lands that are more valuable for agriculture than forestry have been 

 excluded from the national forests, either by changes in the forest bound- 

 aries or by being opened to settlement and entry under the Forest Home- 

 stead Act of June n, 1906. The act of August 10, 191 2, which directed 

 that the national forest lands be classified for the purpose of determining 

 those valuable chiefly for agriculture, has resulted in the homesteading of 

 practically all agricultural lands within the national forests. 



Mineral deposits in the national forests, except those purchased under 

 the act of March 1, 191 1, are open to development exactly as on unreserved 

 public land, unless otherwise provided by special acts of Congress. 



The wilderness is rapidly vanishing from the American continent, but 

 within the national forests about 75 areas, covering approximately 14 

 million acres, are maintained under primitive conditions of environment, 

 transportation, habitation, and subsistence. The most extensive tracts, of 

 not less than 100,000 acres, are known as wilderness areas. Lesser tracts, 

 of from 5,000 to 100,000 acres, are designated as wild areas. 



Figure 4. — What reforestation can do — a successful slash pine plantation near 



Bogalusa,, La. 



