6 FOREST commissioner's REPORT. 



as "wild land" and comprises a territory located in eight of the 

 sixteen counties of the state, viz., Aroostook, Franklin, Han- 

 cock, Oxford, Penobscot, Piscataquis, Somerset and Washing- 

 ton, about 9,500,000 acres. 



Assuming the entire cost of the carrying out the provisions of 

 the act, thereby relieving the other taxable interests of the state 

 of an appropriation of $20,000 annually, the land owners decided 

 to have included in the act a section fixing the annual tax rate 

 of one and one-half mills on the dollar. The tax based upon 

 the valuation as fixed by the board of assessors yielded annually 

 for the years 1909-10 the sum of $63,945.44. 



That the new departure has been successful and all that was 

 expected of it is borne out in the work accomplished and gen- 

 eral satisfaction given, more of which will be told in detail in 

 a chapter to follow. 



As a further protection to our forests I recommended in 1908 

 the passage of a law authorizing the governor to issue a proc- 

 lamation to prohibit hunters from entering the woods of the 

 state during an extremely dry period. Such an act was passed 

 by the Legislature of 1909, but fortunately the past two hunting 

 seasons have been so free from long dry and dangerous periods 

 that there has been no occasion to invoke the new law. This 

 law works no hardship to the thousands of hunters and summer 

 guests whom we invite to our state, and only in the interest of 

 protection to our forests will it ever be enforced. Even the 

 hunter or summer visitor will agree that it is a just law and 

 will work a benefit to all whenever it becomes necessary to 

 enforce its provisions. 



It has been the aim of this department not only to publish 

 such facts and figures as shall be of interest, but we have en- 

 deavored in each report to include one or more subjects of 

 educational value to the young and those who are seeking 

 knowledge of our forestry resources. Systematically we have 

 taken up the several topics as space and time would allow. 



The division of the state by its water systems has been ex- 

 tensively dealt with in former reports. Studies of the spruce 

 and pine have been given and it is with much pleasure that this 

 year through the courtesy of the United States Forest Service 

 we are able to present studies of the white birch, probably the 

 most valuable of our hard woods. 



