MASSACHUSETTS 155 



Forest Fire Laws. System of local fire wardens with power to employ fire- 

 fighting assistants. Chain of fire observation towers covering most of the 

 state. Satisfactory results being obtained for money expended. Fires in 

 1923455. Acres burned 87,553. Damage $288,934.06. 



Forest Taxation Laws. No special forest taxation laws. Taxation on basis 

 of assessment at the local property rate. 



Nurseries. One State Forest nursery growing trees for forest and roadside 

 planting. Covers 10 acres. Demand for output about five times the supply. 

 Output about 100,000 trees a year. Forest and shade trees sold at the 

 cost of production. 



Other Activities. Growing public interest, particularly for forest protection, 

 tree-planting and extension of State Forests. Public lectures given. Use 

 of State Forests for recreation awakening popular interest. Many land 

 owners doing planting, some on large scale. Advice given to woodland 

 owners by State. Cooperation with the United States Department of 

 Agriculture's Extension Service. 



MASSACHUSETTS 



Department of Conservation, Division of Forestry, W. A. L. Bazeley, 



Commissioner. Created in 1904. 



Forestry Official. H. O. Cook, Chief Forester, Boston, Mass. 

 D. C. A. Galarneau, Frank L. Haynes, James Morris, R. B. Par- 



menter, Assistant Foresters. M. C. Hutchins, Chief Fire Warden. 



E. A. Smith, Moth Work. 



Land Area of State. 5,144,960 acres. 



Original Forested Area. 5,050,000 acres. 



Present Forest Area. 2,000,000 acres. 



Idle or Unproductive Forest Land. 1,000,000 acres. 



Timber Stand. 3,500,000,000 board feet. 



State Forests. 22 State Forests totaling 75,000 acres. 



National Forests within State. None. 



Other Publicly-owned Forest Area. 20,000 acres State Institutions; 47,000 

 acres by cities and towns. 



Average Annual Lumber Production. 150,000,000 board feet. 



Average Annual Consumption. 1,000,000,000 board feet. 



Last Annual Appropriation for Forestry. $470,000 (1923, all purposes). 



Forest Fire Laws. System of state fire wardens and local wardens. Forty-one 

 fire towers as part of practically complete chain. Comprehensive code of 

 laws providing penalties for negligence and for malicious setting of fires; 

 requiring preventive measures by railroads and sawmills. 2500 fires in 1923 

 burned 49,000 acres. Appropriation for fires $50,000, plus $8500 under 

 Weeks Law. 



Forest Taxation Laws. Special forest taxation law permitting classification 

 of land with taxation on valuation of land alone. Standing growth free 

 until cut or reached specified average yield per acre, then paying 6 per 

 cent, on stumpage value of the trees. (See Forest Taxation.) 



