These agricultural lands are opened under section 6 of the act of January 14, 1889 (25 Stat., 642), and most of the lands thus classified under the act of 1889, and the amendments thereof, were opened to entry prior to the year 1911. The act of June 27, 1902 (32 Stat., 400), provides for the opening to homestead entry of the "cut-over" pine lands on the ceded Chippewa reservations. Most of the lands yet to be opened are of this character. There are, however, a large number of tracts classified as "pine" lands under the act of 1889, which tracts contain too little pine to attract millmen, and the pine on these lands is unsold, though offered for sale two or three times. The act of June 25, 1910, section 27 (36 Stat., 862), authorizes the opening of these "pine" lands to homestead entry, the entryman paying for the timber an appraised price at the time of making entry.

The next opening will take place as soon as practicable, and will include about 50,000 acres of "cut-over" lands and about 4,850 acres of "pine" lands.

RESTORATION OF RESERVOIR LANDS, MINNESOTA.

By act of August 6, 1914 (38 Stat., 683), Congress provided for the restoration to the public domain for entry under the homestead laws, subject to the right of the United States to overflow the same, any and all lands in the counties of Aitkin, St. Louis, Crow Wing, Cass, Itasca, and Beltrami, Minn., outside of the boundaries of the Minnesota National Forest, heretofore withdrawn by Executive order in connection with the improvements of the headwaters of the Mississippi River and its tributaries, the restoration of which has been or may hereafter be recommended by the Secretary of War, and under said act there were restored to entry on December 1, 1914, 5,327.90 acres of lands located in the counties mentioned, which lands found ready applicants.

MINNESOTA DRAINAGE ENTRIES.

The act of May 20, 1908 (35 Stat., 169), known as the Volstead Act, extends the drainage laws of the State of Minnesota to the lands of the United States in said State. The act authorizes a sale of the lands by the State to enforce the payment of the drainage charges. A purchaser is required to have the qualifications of a homestead entryman, but residence on the land and cultivation thereof are not prerequisites to obtaining title from the United States. Consequently the law is popular, and there has been active demand for the lands offered. Several entries have been made by persons living in States adjoining Minnesota. Before the act was passed the area of unappropriated surveyed land in the State of Minnesota was reported at

about 1,750,000 acres. On the 1st of July, 1915, the acreage reported was 943,831. The prospect of the early drainage of many of these lands has stimulated their disposition. During the past year there were approved for patenting 517 entries made under the Volstead Act, as against 245 approved in the preceding year, and there are still pending 373 entries.

Much trouble has been found in administering the law, because of its involved provisions, and there has been great diversity of opinion in construing its terms. Because of competition in bidding at the sales some of the lands were sold for a bonus, and the disposition of the excess has been a perplexing question. The State authorities contended that the excess should go into the State treasury, and the purchaser given credit for the amount on his future payments. It was finally determined by the department that this excess or bonus belonged to the United States. Most of the lands involved are ceded Chippewa lands, and the moneys are therefore held in trust for the Chippewa Indians.

There are about 225 entries for lands assessed for the construction of roads in connection with drainage ditches, the lands being sold for nonpayment of the tax assessed against the "towns" for such improvements. The proceedings appear to have been taken under the drainage laws, and these entries are being approved where the road and ditch tax are the same thing.

The law is so framed as to permit of speculation in the public lands, but this has been discouraged as much as possible in administering the law.

HOMESTEAD ENTRIES IN NATIONAL FORESTS.

During the past year notices were issued in accordance with the provisions of the act of June 11, 1906 (34 Stat., 233), of the restoration of 2,838 lists of lands in national forests, by which approximately 280,000 acres of agricultural lands were opened to settlement and entry under the homestead laws. In the previous year approximately 255,000 acres, enumerated in 2,580 lists, were opened. Up to June 30, 1914, approximately 1,685,000 acres have been restored to settlement and entry under said act of June 11, 1906. There are 352 lists of lands in national forests pending for action. During the past year 3,330 homestead entries were made of lands in national forests.

LIEU SELECTIONS FOR LANDS IN INDIAN RESERVATIONS.

In the annual report for 1914 will be found a statement with respect to the suspension of action under the act of April 21, 1904 (33 Stat., 211), which provides for exchange of ownership between the United

States and a private owner of land embraced within an Indian reservation.

During the past year the status of selections under said act has been given diligent attention, both by the General Land Office and the department, with the result that it is now believed the department will be in a position to settle the entire controversy within a short period.

FOREST LIEU SELECTIONS.

The act of June 4, 1897 (30 Stat., 36), which provided for the selection of public lands in lieu of lands in national forests, was repealed by the act of March 3, 1905 (35 Stat., 1264), except as to certain contracts previously entered into, involving land in the San Francisco Mountains and Grand Canyon National Forests, Ariz., and the Santa Barbara National Forest, Cal. The area of land in the San Francisco Mountains National Forest involved in a contract at the date of its execution was 975,000 acres, of which there is yet remaining approximately 25,000 acres that can be offered as bases in accordance with the repealing act of March 3, 1905. The exchangeable lands in Grand Canyon and Santa Barbara Forests have now been practically exhausted.

Selections under the act of June 4, 1897, were allowed for both surveyed and unsurveyed land until October 1, 1900, since which date such selections are restricted to vacant, surveyed, nonmineral land subject to homestead entry, as provided in the amendatory act of June 6, 1900 (33 Stat., 614). There are still pending approximately 900 selections awaiting survey of the land selected.

All selections suspended because of the so-called Hyde-Benson frauds are being rapidly disposed of, either by cancellation or patenting. In the annual report of this office for 1908 will be found a very clear and comprehensive statement of the nature and extent of these fraudulent selections, from which may be understood the immense labor required on the part of the field service and of the office to properly ascertain the true facts in each case and protect the interests of the Government. The length of time required for this work is due to the fact that in most cases portions of the same base tract have been used in several selections, and as the same questions are presented in each case, it is necessary to consolidate or treat together such allied cases, to the end that a full knowledge of the entire transaction may be secured, as well as uniformity of action.

Again, it not infrequently occurs that one selection involves the consideration of several bases, and the determination of the validity of each, which can only be ascertained after a careful investigation in the field, followed by hearing in the district land office.

CHIPPEWA INDIAN TIMBER LOGGING, MINNESOTA.

The twelfth year of logging on ceded Chippewa lands, Minnesota, closed on June 30, last, and during said year there were cut and removed 46,272,950 feet of timber, valued at $373,442.73, as against 85,799,120 feet of timber, valued at $763,915, in the previous year. The falling off was due to dullness in the lumber market, on which account several of the purchasers obtained extensions of time to complete their contracts. The total amount of timber cut during the 12 logging seasons is 1,224,564,667 feet, and the total price paid is $8,678,787.79, the average price being $7.06 per 1,000 feet. Prior to the sales of the timber estimates are made by Government examiners, but the purchasers pay for the amount actually cut and removed, their bids being by the thousand feet. The amount cut thus far exceeds the Government estimates by 316,772,750 feet, and the moneys received exceeds by $2,164,661.66 the total prospective receipts, based upon the prices bid per thousand feet and the Government's estimates as to the amount of timber upon the land. There are 15 purchasers whose contracts are not completed. The average number of logs per thousand feet scaled is 113. The expense of conducting the logging operations for 12 years, including scaling, superintending, recording, office rent, and the examination of the Mille Lac Reservation, has been $360,879.35, which is 4 per cent of the total receipts.

OKLAHOMA INDIAN LANDS.

There has been considerable inquiry in regard to the disposal of Indian lands in Oklahoma. These principally relate to lands belonging to the Five Civilized Tribes, over which this office has no jurisdiction. Nearly all of the lands in Oklahoma under the jurisdiction of this office have been entered, the reports showing that there are only 42,177 acres of unentered lands in said State. Under the act of June 30, 1913 (38 Stat., 92), the unentered lands in the Kiowa, Comanche, Apache, and Wichita Reservations are subject to sale for the benefit of the Kiowa Agency hospital fund. A sale of remnant lands, under said act, was held in December, 1913, at which all the vacant lands were sold. Since said sale a few entries have been canceled and the tracts covered by such entries are vacant and subject to sale under said act of June 30, 1913. In the year 1906 there were disposed of to homestead entrymen under sealed bids 480,000 acres of lands in pasture and wood reserves, situated in the Kiowa, Comanche, and Apache Reservations. The entrymen were all required to pay one-fifth down, the balance in yearly installments, and to comply with the homestead laws. Letters to this office indicate that the entrymen in a number of cases are not complying with the homestead law.

The act of August 1, 1914 (38 Stat., 582, 598), grants an extension of time within which to make the annual payments, and provides further with regard to these entries "that no forfeiture of entry shall be declared except for fraud"; consequently none of these entries are being canceled except upon relinquishment or for fraud, even though the entryman may not be complying with the law. There are a few of these tracts which are vacant and they are subject to sale under said act of June 30, 1913. It is probable there will be another sale under said act next year.

ABANDONED MILITARY RESERVATIONS.

The act of February 11, 1915 (38 Stat., 807), provided for the disposition of lands in the abandoned Fort Assinniboine Military Reservation, Mont. This reservation comprises about 170,000 acres and is one of the largest of the remaining military reservations. In accordance with departmental instructions, the field work in connection with the survey and classification of the lands has been completed this summer, but the office work of preparing the field notes, plats, and reports will not be finished for some time, so that it is impracticable to have an opening before next spring. The State of Montana has made selection of 2,000 acres of land, including buildings, in accordance with the terms of the act. The law provides for the opening to settlement and entry under the homestead laws of the agricultural lands, the entrymen to pay $1.25 per acre for the land, except for lands entered during the first six months, in which case the price is $2.50 per acre. The manner of opening is to be prescribed by proclamation of the President. The timberland is to be sold under special regulations, and the mineral lands are subject to entry under the mining laws.

By Executive order of August 10, 1911, lands in the abandoned Fort Grant Military Reservation, Ariz., except the portion included in the Crook National Forest, were turned over to this department for disposal under the act of July 5, 1884 (23 Stat., 103). The plats of survey of the lands turned over to this department, aggregating about 13,000 acres, have recently been approved. Nearly 4,000 acres are included in grants to the State of Arizona, and the remaining lands are to be appraised prior to their public offering under the act of 1884. The appraisement will be made scon, and the sale will take place as soon as practicable.

Lands in the abandoned Fort Brown and Fort Ringgold Military Reservations, Tex., have been duly surveyed and appraised, but the sale of the property has been deferred owing to the temporary use of a portion of the property for military purposes.