302 MISC. PUBLICATION 218, U. 8. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 
spent from the general funds, the taxpaying part of the county bearing 
the entire county road- building costs. 
It was estimated that in 1929 the county would pay into the State 
treasury $35,111 and receive from the State $187,319. 
In the light of these facts the survey concluded that continued 
expansion of settlement in those marginal areas where experience has 
shown farming to be unprofitable should be discouraged. Moreover, 
it suggested that some of the mistakes already made could be corrected 
by voluntary exchange of holdings of scattered settlers for lands in 
regions where roads and schools already exist. 
The town of Goodman was cited in this study as an example of 
agricultural development carried on within a forest area. Of the 104 
farms in this town, only 9 had been abandoned, most of these being 
in the outlying districts and on land that was originally obtained 
through the homestead act. Practically all settlement is in one area, 
close enough to the village of Goodman so that employment can be 
had in the mills when work is slack on farms or when additional income 
is needed. Good roads and school facilities are possible at reasonable 
cost through this more compact grouping of farms. By exchange of 
lands a settler in this town was moved from an isolated homestead to 
the farming community. 
Five counties, in addition to Marinette, have completed and pub- 
lished preliminary surveys describing their land resources and sug- 
gesting a program of utilization. These five counties are Ashland, 
Taylor, Oneida, Forest, and Washburn. The publications based on 
these studies present graphic pictures of the economic and financial 
position of the county concerned and suggest needed improvements 
(171, 172, 173, 174, 175). The program advanced for Forest County, 
as summarized below, is typical: 
1. Maintain agricultural development in established farm communi- 
ties. The establishment and maintenance of connected farm-to- 
market highways in such regions is important so that cream routes, 
mail routes, and school-bus lines can operate effectively. 
2. The county should take deed to all delinquent lands, start pro- 
ceedings to quiet title by court action if necessary, and block up its 
holdings into unbroken units as large as possible. A committee of 
the county board, preferably a joint committee of the agriculture and 
conservation committees, should be authorized to investigate all land 
to which title has been taken, to advise the county clerk on land ex- 
changes, and to negotiate for the sale of these lands for large-scale 
forest and recreational purposes. 
3. Establish county forests on the nonagricultural lands which the 
county does not succeed in selling. These need not be large, but 
should be fairly compact units. These county forest lands could be 
entered under the forest-crop law, permitting the towns in which the 
forest is located to receive 10 cents per acre per year from the State. 
Technical assistance in managing such forests could be obtained from 
the State conservation commission. When supplemented by other 
extensive areas of public lands, county forests will offer a reliable 
source of raw material necessary for the maintenance of local industries. 
4. Develop the recreation industry. 
5. Effect economies in school costs by making the county the unit 
of taxation and administration. 
The above program, while not necessarily a model one in all details, 
represents a great advance over uncontrolled settlement. 
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