132 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONERS OF 



Scientific Forestr^^. 



The criticism has been made that this Commission has done nothin<^ in the way of 

 forest improvement ; that no scientific work similar to the methods governing 

 European forest management has been inaugurated ; that the vakiable matured 

 timber is allowed to decay, blow down and rot, while diseased trees and worthless 

 species are allowed to remain and propagate to the exclusion or repression of more 

 valuable and desirable timber; and that our forests, instead of being a source of 

 public revenue, are a burden of expense. 



We admit the facts, but protest against any stricture making this department 

 responsible in any way for this state of affairs. 



The scientific forestry which in other countries improves the forest and increases 

 its yield of timber, which makes the public woodland.s a source of immense, perpetual 

 revenue to the Commonwealth, cannot be carried on without the use of the axe. In 

 the work of forest improvement there must be a thinning of timber, and removal of 

 trees that are diseased or infested with destructive insects. 



Hut all work of this kind in our State is prohibited by law. Moreover, this law 

 was made fundamental and incorporated in the new State Constitution, although every 

 experienced, professional forester protested against the false economy involved in such 

 legislation. The American Forestry Association, representing the best thought on the 

 forestry question in the United States and Canada, at a large meeting held in the 

 White Mountains at the time this matter was pending in the Constitutional Conven- 

 tion, passed a resolution unanimously condemning the proposed forestry clause in the 

 Constitution. 



But aside from this matter of revenue and forest improvement, we believe that 

 the Empire State with its great forest domain should take the lead in this country in 

 developing forestry methods and sound ideas. The woodlands of New York through 

 proper exploitation should become an object lesson for all America. 



Although the I^^orest Preserve, a large part of which is primitive forest where 

 the axe of the lumberman has never swung, is rendered unavailable by our State 

 Constitution for any such plan, something might be done to relieve the State from the 

 anomalous condition in which its forestry work has been placed. In view of the pro- 

 posed purchase of large areas of woodlands, a special appropriation might be made for 

 acquiring some tract of virgin forest in the Adirondacks, to be set apart especially as 

 an experiment station where the practicability of carrying on scientific forestry work 

 with profit might be demonstrated. The tract thus set apart and specially dedicated 

 to the purpose mentioned should be placed under the sole management of skilled, 

 professional foresters, who should be afforded every opportunity for carrying on 



