62 TRANSACTIONS OF THE [DEC. 9, 



that scientific forestry will gain a good foothold in other States 

 also, and will exhibit the same great benefits which it has be- 

 stowed upon all countries into which it has been introduced. 



The second paper was entitled 



THE CONDITION AND NEEDS OF FORESTRY LEGISLATION 

 IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK. 



BY WARREN HIGLEY. 



(Abstract.) 



In this discussion I propose to consider the principal features 

 of our forestry legislation as it now stands on the statute- 

 books, to point out wherein they appear deficient, and to suggest 

 such changes in the law as seem necessary to a successful for- 

 estry administration and to the best interests of the State. 



Tlie forestry interests of New York, take them all in all, are 

 not surpassed by those of any other State. Our inland com- 

 merce and manufactures depend very largely upon the condi- 

 tion of the forest-covering of our great Adirondack water-shed, 

 as also do our agricultural industries. And it is to this Adiron- 

 dack region that our forestry legislation has been principally 

 directed. 



The "North Woods," ''John Brown's Tract," or "The Adi- 

 rondack Wilderness," originally belonged to the State and em- 

 braced an area of about 5,000,000 acres. It was covered with 

 valuable forests. These lands were mostly sold by the State at a 

 few cents per acre. A half-million acres of the best timbered 

 lands were given as a boiuis to the Saratoga & Sackett's Harbor 

 Railroad Co. thirty years ago, and this company sold them to the 

 Adirondack Railroad Co., — its successor, — for five cents per acre, 

 or $25,000! 



The legislation of 1885 was largely hastened by the action 

 taken by the Chamber of Commerce of the City of New York 

 at its meeting held December 6th, 1883, led by Mr. Morris K. 

 Jesup, who brought to the attention of the Chamber the 

 threatened destruction of the Adirondack wilderness, and the 

 consequent irreparable injury to the great water-ways leading to 

 this city. 



At this meeting a committee was appointed, with Mr. Jesup 

 as chairman, with power to invite the co-operation of other 

 associations and individuals throughout the State to urge the 

 necessary legislation. The committee entered upon their work 

 with great zeal. They called to their counsels Prof. Charles S. 



