5G<S jouKXAL ()F Forestry 



Although the disastrous conflagration of October 12, 1918, did not 

 occur within the time of the report, it is specially discussed in an appen- 

 dix as to cause and character, and on an accompanying map the extent 

 of the damage is stated : 



Number of lives lost, 432. 



Area burned over, 200,000 acres. 



Total area burned over, much of it lightly, 600,000 acres. 



Approximate loss, $25,000,000. 



Number of homes burned, 5,000. 



Number of towns and villages, 11 entirely burned, 5 partly burned. 



Having shown the utter inadequacy of present provisions for forest 

 fire protection, an annual appropriation of $330,000 is argued as neces- 

 sary, besides a permanent emergency fund of $75,000, to be drawn 

 upon in extraordinary years. 



Besides the small State parks, there are now 300.000 acres of State 

 forest under control of the Board. 



Lack of funds hamper the administration of the new State forests. 

 Classification of the land and timber and a taking of stock are neces- 

 sary. Fifteen forties were surveyed to determine the best methods 

 for the work and the cost. Fifty-three sales of timber were made 

 within these new forests, including pine, spruce, cedar, and other spe- 

 cies, valued at $150,000, mainly timber injured by fires, wind, high 

 water, or insects. In green-timber logging operations a forest officer 

 marks trees to be left uncut for seed or as basis of a second cutting. 



Arguments and plans for an increase of State forests are discussed. 

 An extension of control by the Board to the sale of timber from the 

 State school, swamps, and other lands is suggested, just as the work of 

 the Surveyor General in scaling and collecting fees on timber cut is 

 now in the hands of the State Forester. 



There are three ways in which the land might be acquired: (i) By 

 immediate purchase; (2) by the exchange of State timber for private 

 lands, and (3) by the long-time lease of these private lands by the 

 State, with the option to buy. The leasing of the land, with option to 

 purchase, seems to be the best plan. Under this arrangement the im- 

 mediate possession of extensive areas would be possible, while the ex- 

 pense of the purchase, if such purchase ultimately seemed advisable, 

 could be spread over a long period of years and would not involve 

 large initial expenditure. 



The acquisition of this land by the State at some time is practically 

 certain, and it can never again be acquired as cheaply as now. 



Reference is made to war work, the State forester having acted as 



