SEVENTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT 91 



tered over 200 acres, is obvious, and the fact that of the seven- 

 teen arrests that were made, and the seventeen convictions ob- 

 tained, all these cases were handled by the employees of the 

 Park, and none by the regular police force, is proof of the need 

 of additional protection. 



The habit of picnic crowds to establish themselves in places 

 where proper supervision was impossible, caused the issuing 

 of permits to responsible persons, on blank forms, stating the 

 rules under which picnics may be held, and recording the time, 

 place and number of persons. All confusion of claims was 

 thereby avoided, and while the demand for permits was on a 

 few days greater than the places available, the system estab- 

 lished was satisfactory. One practical result was great economy 

 in the cleaning up of refuse by the Park force. Altogether about 

 4,000 picnickers were taken care of. 



The struggle against the deadly hickory-bark-borer was con- 

 tinued by carefully pruning out affected branches, or cutting 

 down entire trees that were badly infected. Of the latter there 

 were fifty-four. All of these might have been saved if the State 

 laws regarding insect pests were enforced by our neighbors — 

 as we hope they will be enforced next year. Some experiments 

 were made in coating the hickories with insecticides, but the 

 outcome is still in doubt. 



The number of forest fires has been great, and they have 

 been a constant source of annoyance. No great amount of dam- 

 age was done — except by the one which occurred at the Nursery 

 on September 11, 1912, which was caused by lightning. It de- 

 stroyed the tool-house and contents, part of the chicken-house, 

 and some livestock, such as rabbits, guinea pigs and rats. Both 

 of the buildings mentioned were of a very temporary character, 

 the tool-house having been built of rough lumber of the cheapest 

 kind. The poultry house had been made out of the pheasant 

 houses brought from Tarrytown. 



If the breeding of poultry is to continue, it is imperative 

 that a new poultry house should be built next summer; and 

 again I urge the building of a proper place for the incubators 

 and brooders, all of which are now installed in the cellar of 

 the breeding-house, a frame structure between the two green- 

 houses. Inasmuch as from five to seven kerosene lamps are 

 used in the brooders and incubators, burning there day and 

 night for a large portion of the year, the danger from fire is 

 entirely too great. 



