422 AMERICAN FORESTRY 



owner or owners of said land shall fail to maintain it in all respects according to the 

 written agreement entered into by the owner and upon which the said land was given a 

 fixed assessment for a fixed number of years, the said land shall be restored to the 

 assessment roll and shall be taxed the same as other similar lands, and in addition 

 thereto the said lands shall be supplemented on the assessment rolls for an amount 

 that would equal the assessment of the land had it not been assessed under the 

 provisions of this act. Nothing in this act shall be construed as giving the Forestry 

 Commission jurisdiction over lands of any resident farmer without written contract. 



Sec. 14. Be it further enacted, etc.. That it is hereby made unlawful for any 

 electric lighting or power company to attach any wires or other lighting appliances to 

 any tree along any street of any town or city in this state, and in towns and cities 

 where such wires and lighting appliances are already attached to trees, the person, 

 firm or corporation owning the same be and they are hereby required to remove the 

 same within ninety days after the approval of this act. Any person, firm or corporation 

 violating any of the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and 

 upon conviction shall be punished by a fine of not less than twenty-five nor more than 

 one hundred dollars for each and every offense so committed. 



Sec. 15. Be it further enacted, etc.. That the State Conservation Commission shall 

 have the power to purchase lands in the name of the state suitable for forest culture 

 and reserves at a price which shall not exceed $1.00 per acre, using for such purpose 

 any surplus money not otherwise appropriated, which may be standing to the credit 

 of the conservation fund ; to make rules and regulations governing state reserves. 



Sec. 16. Be it further enacted, etc.. That the state and parish boards of public 

 education are directed to provide for proper courses of instruction by text-books or lectures 

 on the general subject of forestry of this state; and they are further directed to 

 provide for the celebration by all public schools of Arbor Day, on which day, trees, 

 flowers, etc., are to he placed, where practicable, on the grounds surrounding all public 

 school houses. 



Sec. 17. Be it further enacted, etc.. That this Act shall take effect on the date of 

 its passage and all laws in conflict herewith are hereby repealed. 



The bill above quoted, which was approved July 7, 1910, is what is known 

 as the general forestry bill. Another bill (No. 172) passed the same session 

 refers to the establishment of the conservation commission. This commission, 

 according to law, is to consist of eight members, three of whom are ex-officio, 

 namely the superintendent of experiment stations of Louisiana, the state 

 forester and the chief engineer of the state board of engineers. The other 

 five are appointed by the governor. To this commission is given the super- 

 vision of all mineral's and forests and the direction of the expenditure of the 

 conservation fund. According to the law its duties shall be to promote and 

 conserve the natural resources of the state. It has an appropriation of |1,800 

 per year for expenses. 



THE REVENUE BILL 



The complete text of the revenue bill which was originally framed by Mr. 

 Foster of the Forest Service but which was greatly changed in form as it 

 went through the legislature is given herewith. The bill has remained 

 inoperative pending court litigation brought by the lumber interests. The 

 final section of the bill, it will be noted, has furnished them with an excuse 

 to hold it up on this technicality. The bill, which was approved July 6, 1910, 

 follows: 



AN ACT 



To create a conservation fund by levying, collecting and enforcing payment of an annual 

 license tax upon all persons, associations of persons, or business firms and 

 corporations pursuing the business of severing timber and minerals from the 

 soil; and prescribing the mode and method in which said persons subject to 

 license tax shall make report of their business. 



Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Louisiana, That 

 there is hereby levied an anua! license tax for the year 1911, and for each subsequent 

 year, upon each person, association of persons, or business firm or corporation pursuing 

 the business of severing from the soil timber and minerals subject to license under 

 Article 229 of the constitution. 



