THE PROVINCE LANDS. 35 



Valuk (^f Tin: TjAXDs. 



AgTicultuvallv iind horticulturallv the lands surrounding' the harbor 

 have little value. No field erops are raised, and the redtop pastures 

 are very small, ))eiug for the most part reclaimed ])Ogs with an ao:gre- 

 gate area of approximatel}'^ 25 acres. The salt marshes yield about 

 200 tons of hay per jear, and beach-grass ha}' to the amount of 15 

 tons is annuall}' obtained from the sand areas lying just outside of 

 the Province lands. The cran))erry bogs, while extensive, are not 

 regarded as especialh' profitable holdings even with the State owning 

 the lands. 



The sylvicultural resources of the lands might p()ssil)ly ))e turned 

 into account. The growth of the timber is slow, l)ut the climatic coa- 

 tions are favorable, and an intelligent sj'stem of forestatiou under 

 existing prices would materially assist in providing for the expenses 

 incident to the supervision of the lands. 



It has been suggested that the lands might be improved and brought 

 into the market as l)uilding lots for summer cottages, or, this failing of 

 realization, that a game preserve might be established and a revenue 

 derived from shooting privileges. Neither of the projects appears to 

 have met with much favor. The chief value of the lands is as a har- 

 ))or former, and all plans should conserve to this end. 



The idea of converting the area into a marine park has man}' points 

 in its favor, and it may be stated that those in charge of the land have 

 this project in mind and are working to that end. The isolation, beauty 

 of natural scener}', and oceanic location, with its f, miles of heavy surf 

 and an equal frontage on the ba}', combine to render the locality prob- 

 ably without an equal on the Atlantic coast. The harbor must be 

 protected from the loose sands on the north side of the Cape, and the 

 forested condition necessary for a marine park is exactly what is 

 required by the proposed plans to render the area a permanent pro- 

 tection to the harbor, and the money spent in reclaiming the lands, if 

 applied along landscape-engineering lines, wMl ultimatel}' produce an 

 ideal ocean park. The successful development of the Golden Gate 

 Park at San Francisco has demonstrated the possibilities of such sandy 

 tracts when properly reclaimed. 



SUMMARY. 



The sand areas inclosing Cape Cod Harbor were originally forested, 

 but have been extensively devastated within historic times. Kestrict- 

 ivc legislation dating back as far as 1714 has exerted a restraining 

 influence upon the devastating activities. In 1826 extensive reclamation 

 processes were inaugurated, but were unsuccessful owing to the failure 

 to introduce wood}- plants within' die beach-grass plantations. The 

 State in 1893 formulated an extensive plan for the reclamation of these 



