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UNITED STATES 



DEPARTMENT of AGRICULTURE 



DEPARTMENT CIRCULAR 313 , 



Washington, D. C. June, 1924 ' 



PURCHASE OF LA\D FOR XATIOX^L FORESTS 

 UNDER THE ACT OF AUVRCrt ^"Wt|f^^ 

 THE WEEKS" LAW. rf ^ .'-.?-' 



Peepahed by the Forest SekvicM V^uIJi '•''2: 



Page 



G'T.eral information . 

 I'lopos-als invited 



Purchase units 



Act of March 1, 191 1_ 



GENERAL INFORMATION. 



The act of Congress approved March 1. 1911 (36 Stat., 961), 

 ci -ated a National Forest Reservation Commission and authorized 

 the acquisition of lands on the watersheds of navigable streams for 

 the purpose of conserving their navigability. The Secretary of 

 Agriculture is authorized and directed to examine, locate, and recom- 

 mend to the commission for purchase such lands as in his judgment 

 may be necessary to the regulation of the flow of navigable streams, 

 and he is authorized to purchase, in the name of the United States, 

 such lands as have been approved for purchase by the National 

 Forest Reservation Commission at the price or prices fixed by said 

 commission. The full text of the law is to be found on page 12. 



PURPOSE OF THE LAW. 



The primary purpose of this lavv' is to secure the maintenance of 

 a perpetual growth of forest on the watersheds of navigable streams 

 where such growth will materially aid in preventing floods, in reduc- 

 ing the periods of low water, in preventing erosion of steep slopes 

 and the silting up of the river channels, and tiioreby improve the 

 conditions for navigation. 



INCIDENTAL BENEFITS. 



AVhile the improvement of the flow of navigable streams is the 

 fundamental purpose, otlier benefits incidental in character bu.t never- 

 tlic'less important will be kept in view. Among these are (1) pro- 

 tection against disastrous erosion of tlie soil on mountain slopes and 

 against the destructvon of the soil and soil cover by forest fires: (t2) 

 ]» e-ervation of water pov\'ers, since, like navigation, they depend for 



