Section was derived from section 8 of act Mar. 3, 1891, ch. 561. The portion of that section set forth here, as originally enacted was as follows: “And in the States of Colorado, Montana, Idaho, North Dakota, and South Dakota, Wyoming, and in the District of Alaska and the gold and silver regions of Nevada, and the Territory of Utah, in any criminal prosecution or civil action by the United States for a trespass on such public timber lands or to recover timber or lumber cut thereon, it shall be a defense if the defendant shall show that the said timber was so cut or removed from the timber lands for use in such State or Territory by a resident thereof for agricultural, mining, manufacturing, or domestic purposes, and has not been transported out of the same; but nothing herein contained shall apply to operate to enlarge the rights of any railway company to cut timber on the public domain: Provided, That the Secretary of the Interior may make suitable rules and regulations to carry out the provisions of this section”. It was amended to read as set forth here by act Mar. 3, 1891, ch. 559, except that after the word “Wyoming,” the words “New Mexico and Arizona,” were inserted by act Fespan. 13, 1893, and after the word “Nevada,” the words “California, Oregon, and Washington” were inserted by act Mar. 3, 1901, ch. 855.

In the section as originally enacted the words “Territory of Alaska” read “District of Alaska,” and the words “the Territory of,” preceded the word “Utah”.

Act July 1, 1898, amended section in the manner set out in section 611 of this title.

Act Mar. 3, 1919, ch. 111, amended section in the manner set out in section 608 of this title.

Act Mar. 3, 1919, ch. 115, amended section in the manner set out in section 609 of this title.

Act Fespan. 27, 1922, amended section in the manner set out in section 610 of this title.

Act Aug. 21, 1935, amended section in the manner set out in section 611a of this title.

The portion of the section omitted here prescribed the time within which suits by the United States to annul patents should be brought, and is classified to section 2506 of Title 43, Public Lands.

1959—Puspan. L. 86–70 included Alaska within the enumeration of States and struck out provisions which related to Territory of Alaska.