944 Conservation of Natural Resources [march, 



tural Institute at Hohenheim, and in exceptional instances, 

 such as the planting of rocky slopes, subsidies are granted 

 towards the preliminary expenses. 



It may be mentioned that in accordance with the property 

 tax law in Baden, all private waste lands, pastures, fields, and 

 uplands, planted with timber, remain free from taxation for 

 a period of twenty years, counting from the beginning of the 

 first year of planting. 



Conservation of 

 Natural Resources in 

 the United States. 



In June, 1908, the President of the United States appointed 

 a Commission to inquire into and advise as to the condition 

 of the natural resources of the country 

 with a view to the prevention of the 

 wasteful exploitation of timber and 

 minerals, and for the proper develop- 

 ment of water power and waterways, 

 as well as of public lands. The Commission is composed of 

 a representative body of men, and the co-operation of the 

 State authorities has been enlisted. 



The first steps taken have been directed to the compilation 

 of a statement in regard to the resources of the country based 

 on information in the possession of the various Government 

 Departments or derived from other authoritative sources, and 

 the following are among the points to be included in this 

 statement: — (1) Changes desirable in the public land laws 

 in order to promote the best permanent use of the land; 

 (2) means of increasing agricultural production and 

 preventing loss; (3) utilisation of public grazing lands; (4) 

 reclamation of marsh lands; (5) development of irrigation; 

 (6) use of inland waterways ; (7) development of water power ; 

 (8) control of floods; (9) extent of forests, production of 

 timber, exhaustion of supply, best means of increasing pro- 

 ductiveness of forests; (10) supply of minerals and duration 

 of existing resources; (n) conservation of life and property 

 in mining and by the prevention of fires; (12) losses of live 

 stock by diseases, &c; (13) condition of fisheries and supply 

 of game. 



