8o FOREST commissioner's REPORT. 



Commissioner, and stating that among his duties that he shall 

 take such measures as State Supt. of Schools and the president 

 of the University of Maine may approve, for awakening an 

 interest in behalf of forestry in the public schools, academies, 

 and colleges of the state. In the nine years much has been ac- 

 complished but as above stated it certainly seems that this work 

 should be wholly under the direction of the president and trus- 

 tees of the Institution, as the Land Agent or Supt. of Schools 

 has little time to attend to it and in fact, knows little of the 

 work that has been done with the exception of approving the 

 bills and going over what reports may be furnished him from 

 time to time. In order to carry out the work it will be neces- 

 sary to make a larger appropriation than has been the custom 

 and it would now seem that it would be an opportune time to 

 make the change suggested. 



Agitation was started and an attempt was made at the last 

 session of the Legislature to establish a state nursery, but as it 

 was quite late in the session when the bill was introduced it 

 failed to pass. I thoroughly believe that such a nursery should 

 be established as the demand is constantly growing among the 

 farmers and owners of wood lots in the state for some place in 

 Maine where they can obtain seeds and seedlings. My idea of 

 such a nursery would be to raise seedlings and sell same to the 

 residents of the State of Maine at actual cost. For the first 

 few years it would take an appropriation of a few thousand 

 dollars to start the nursery but it should eventually become 

 nearly self supporting from the sale of seeds and seedlings. I 

 trust that the coming Legislature will give this matter close at- 

 tention and that a start may be made another spring: 



The constant application to this department from parties who 

 wish to buy small islands upon the coast and the fact that 

 many of these islands, while actually belonging to the State, 

 have been overlooked and no record made of them, leads me 

 to believe that there should be a close investigation made of 

 the same. From the growing demand there is for these is- 

 lands for fish weir and other purposes would indicate that an 

 income of several thousand dollars annually would accrue to 

 the state, if they were properly looked after. In my estimates of 

 1913 and 1914 I have recommended an appropriation to deter- 



