24 JOURNAL OF FORESTRY 



Taking the next to the last column in the table, it appears that we 

 will have to deal with the inspection, supervision, and control of pri- 

 vate forestry measures on at least 281 differently owned tracts, 78 per 

 cent of which contain less than 25,000 acres. The average size of the 

 privately owned forest in the Adirondacks is 11,709 acres, 1,757 

 acres in the Catskills, and 1,462 acres elsewhere in the State. 



The region of the State in which we are most interested and for 

 which it happens that our census data are most complete shows the 

 following further conditions : 



Conditions of hrivatcly owned tinibcrlands in Adirondack Counties, Neui 

 York. Based on 6'o per cent in ownership of over 500 acres. 



Per cent. 



Merchantable 50.0 



Non-merchantable 27.7 



Barren 10.9 



Water 2.8 



Not classified • 8.6 



Total .100.0 



If, therefore, the Adirondack conditions are a fair criterion for 

 those in other parts of the State, the proposed measures will be in 

 active effect on only half the area, so far as merchantable timber is 

 concerned; that is, of the 2,180,163 acres, not more than one-half, or 

 1,090,082 acres, would probably be classed as merchantable. 



Coming to the second part of my paper, let us consider briefly what 

 organization the State would need to inspect, supervise, and control 

 the operations of private owners of 500 or more acres. It is obvious 

 that for purposes of continuous forest production, some form of work- 

 ing plan will be needed for every property. I believe in requiring the 

 owner to have such a plan prepared by a graduate forester and to file 

 it with the Conservation Commission, which will approve or reject 

 same. If it is approved, the working plan shall constitute the basis ot 

 operations, and the forest which it covers, for the 10-year working 

 period. Departures therefrom, other than minor, shall require written 

 approval of the commission. 



Of course the plan itself will not produce proper forest practice 

 but it is my thought that the filing of an acceptable working plan shall 

 entitle the owner to certain privileges including (1) yield tax on the 

 crop when cut, (2) free trees from State nurseries, (3) complete 

 co-operation with the State in fire protection, and (4) the right to 

 borrow capital needed for forestry practice for long terms at low 

 rates of interest. 



Conversely, failure to file such an acceptable plan and to inaugurate 

 forest management after these various privileges shall have become 



