VERMONT AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 45 



REPORT OF FORESTRY COMMISSIONER. 



To His Excellency, Hon. Charles J. Bell, Governor: 



In accordance with the law of this State, I herewith trans- 

 mit my first annual report as Forestry Commissioner. 



In the spring of 1905, regulations were prepared and issued 

 for the planting of waste land to forest trees and the securing of 

 tax exemption according to Act No. 74 of 1904. Some corre- 

 spondence resulted and some interest was manifested, but up to 

 date no one has taken advantage of the act. 



Under Act No. 16, 1904, cloth posters were printed and dis- 

 tributed to all first selectmen and many private land owners in 

 the State, and I believe were mostly properly posted. These were 

 distributed in the spring of both 1905 and 1906. 



Reports of first selectmen on forest fires were secured last 

 winter from all towns of the state except Bakersfield and Somer- 

 set. Considerable unnecessary correspondence was required to 

 secure these reports in many cases. In all thirty-four fires were 

 reported with a total damage to property of only a little over 

 $5,000.00. No attempt was made to estimate the indirect damage 

 done by these fires to the soil and their effect on future growth. 

 This loss was only about 3 percent of the loss in 1903, the only 

 other year for which I have any knowledge of an attempt to esti- 

 mate Vermont's loss from forest fires. The comparatively small 

 loss was largely due undoubtedly to the favorable season, but also 

 to some extent, I believe, to the effect of the law. The chief 

 points are shown by the table : 



Acres 

 Value property Expense burned 



Town. destroyed. Cause. fighting, over. 



Burke $ 65 00 Locomotive, 8 



Cavendish 200 00 Locomotive, $ 6.60 20 



" 500 00 Locomotive, 60 



Chester 10 00 Children, 4 



" 25 00 Hunters, 100 



Danville " 



Dorset 300 00 Smokers, 100 



Dummerston 2000 00 Locomotive, . 200 



