648 JOURNAL OF FORESTRY 



primary object the production of school fund money, has the right to 

 manage all the State lands." . . . "Therefore, it is possible for the 

 State to hold the forest lands now possessed and to acquire other 

 lands, provided such purchases are made to enhance the value of the 

 trust. With the same object in view, it is possible to reforest portions 

 of the so-called forest reserve." In a measure, however, these lands 

 come under the jurisdiction of the Public Land Commissioners for 

 administration, at least so far as sales are concerned and the invest- 

 ment of funds arising from these lands. The matter is more or less 

 in a muddle. A revision of all the laws pertaining to the public domain 

 is necessary and, indeed, has been prepared by the commission and is 

 before the legislature. 



Soon after this unfortunate collapse of the forest reserve policy — 

 for we consider it so in spite of the hopeful attitude of the commis- 

 sion — a change in administration was enacted by abolishing the State 

 Board of Forestry, which had been efficient, if run ashore. It does 

 not, of course, appear in a public report what considerations, political 

 or economic, led to the change. Seemingly, however, considerations 

 of laudable economy led to the amalgamation into one State Conserva- 

 tion Commission of the State Park Board, the State Forestry Board, 

 the Commission of Fisheries, Fish and Game Wardens, and the exist- 

 ing Conservation Commission. Thus with one fell swoop 22 non- 

 salaried and six salaried commissioners made room for three salaried 

 ones, one of whom, Mr. F. B. Moody, is a forester by profession. 



The commission makes a special point in announcing that under 

 their rule politics has been and will remain absolutely abolished. 



"Because of restrictions placed upon the activities of the old for- 

 estry board by the Supreme Court prior to the creation of this com- 

 mission, the work on the forest reserves has been confined, chiefly, to 

 that of protecting all State lands north of Town 33 from fire and 

 trespass, the sale of dead, down, dying, and mature timber, the mainte- 

 nance of two forest nurseries, the sale of planting stock therefrom, 

 surveying and leasing islands and lake lots, and other work incident 

 to the proper care and protection of the property." 



The forester commissioner writes the forestry report himself; a 

 short consideration of the extent, value, and use of woodlots, which 

 in Wisconsin comprise over five million acres, and a chapter on the 

 State forest nurseries, which, besides furnishing stock for the State's 

 planting, furnishes stock at cost price to private owners, being fur- 

 nished by C. L. Harrington. Nearly 1,000 acres of State lands are by 



