TIMBER RESOURCES OP NATIONAL FORESTS In his annual report for the fiscal yenr ending June 30, 1915, Just issued, is-sued, tho Secretary ot Agriculture devotes de-votes considerable Bpaco to tho timber tim-ber resources of tho National Forests. For-ests. Ho makes It very plain that tho "Uesources of tho forests aro being be-ing utilized to build up tho country." coun-try." Tho Secretary says that tho forests for-ests "furnish tho timber required by settlers, communities, and Industries within aud near their borders. This is uuiuiuuu wiuiuui cuura ny settlors, set-tlors, prospectors, and othor local residents for personal use; nt cost by settlers and farmors generally for domostlc purposes; and nt market valuo by Individuals or corporations desiring to purclmso It. During tho last 11 years tho number of permits per-mits for froo timber to settlors has boon multiplied 13 times and tho number ot sales 27 times. Tho amount cut nnnunlly by settlors un-dor un-dor theso permits Is moro than four times what It was In 1005, whllo that under commercial sales has Increased Increas-ed eightfold. Probably not loss than 45,000 persons or corporations obtained timber directly from tho national na-tional forests." Tho Secretary furthor states that "moro than hnlf of tho tlmhor now cut annually is used In tho vicinity of tho forests. This Includos ull that taken frco and undor sales nt cost, and approximately 45 per cent of tho commercial cut. Hundreds ot mining districts throughout tho West, from small projects requiring nn occasional oc-casional wagon load of props or lagging lag-ging to tho great copper district of central Montana, which consumes about 380,000 pieces of mining tlmbor annually, nro supplied. Itallroads also aro furnished a largo part of the tics and other motorlal required for tholr lines in tho rocky mountain regions. A million nnd a half tics aro now cut from the forests yearly." In conclusion tho Secretary points out that tho national forests also meet the demands ot tho general lumbor market. Moro than 300,000, 000 fcot nro cut annually for tho nation na-tion wtdo trade. Sinco 1908 thoro liavo been taken from them 5,000,000-000 5,000,000-000 board feet ot wood and tlmbor products."