Forestry at an Experiment Station. 85 



recently made to the Station. There is, in addition, another line 

 of forestry effort in charge of the Experiment Station, supported 

 by State funds. 



5. In June, 1901, the General Assembly of Connecticut passed 

 " An Act concerning the Reforestation of Barren lyands." 

 The Board of Control of the Experiment Station was directed to 

 appoint a state forester, who was " to buy land in the State suit- 

 able for the growth of oak, pine or chestnut lumber at a price not 

 exceeding $4.00 per acre." The forester was further "author- 

 ized to plant the lands so bought with seed or seedlings of oak, 

 pine or chestnut, and such other trees as he may deem necessary 

 or expedient, at a cost not exceeding two and one-half dollars an 

 acre." Among other provisions the following may also be of in- 

 terest : " and with the approval of the governor and the attorney 

 general, [the forester] may sell portions of the same [the lands] 

 when thej^ shall command a greater price than the cost and in- 

 terest thereon." 



Two thousand dollars for a period of two years were appropri- 

 ated for carrying out the provisions of the act. 



No comments are necessary upon the imperfections and inade- 

 quacy of the bill. Nevertheless, it is a step in the right direction. 



The Station forester was appointed State forester. A printed call 

 for offers of land for this " State Park " was distributed, resulting 

 in the offer of twenty-four tracts, aggregating something over seven 

 thousand acres, and located in twenty towns scattered throughout 

 the State. The various tracts have been carefully examined, and 

 negotiations for purchase are now in progress. 



The promoters of the act had in view the afforestation of idle 

 land. But they now endorse what seems to be a better policy for 

 the present, a policy to which it is hoped the State may soon give 

 reasonable financial support. This policy is that the State pur- 

 chase a limited area, making of it a demonstration and experi- 

 mental tract : primarily, for showing and for experimenting with 

 methods of treatment of land already wooded ; secondarily, for 

 showing and for experimenting with methods of afforestation. 

 Realizing that the greatest immediate need of forestry in Con- 

 necticut is to bring about a better system of management of 

 small wood-lots by private owners, it would seem to be the 

 function of the State to, firstly, inaugurate a series of careful 



