Associations and Commissions. 481 



Sierra Nevada Club and the Mazamas of the Pacific 

 coast, and State horticultural societies in various 

 States, made the subject one to be discussed and to 

 be fostered. The most active of these associations, 

 since it was formed in 1886, publishing also a bi- 

 monthly journal, Forest Leaves (at first less fre- 

 quently), is the Pennsylvania State Forestry Associ- 

 ation, which has succeeded in thoroughly committing 

 its State to a proper forest policy, as far as official 

 recognition is concerned. 



Usually as a result of this associated private effort, 

 the States appointed forestry commissions or com- 

 missioners. These commissions were at first for the 

 most part instituted for inquiry and to make reports, 

 upon which a forest policy for the State might be 

 framed. Others have become permanent parts of the 

 State organization, with executive, or merely educa- 

 tional functions. Such commissioners of inquiry 

 were appointed at various times, in Connecticut 

 (1877), New Hampshire (1881 and 1889, Vermont 

 (1882), New York (1884), Maine (1891), New Jersey 

 (in Geological Survey 1894), Pennsylvania (1893), 

 North Carolina (in Geological Survey 1891), Ohio 

 (1885), Michigan (1899), Wisconsin (1897), Minnesota 

 (1899), North Dakota (1891), Colorado (1885), 

 California (1885). 



It was but natural in a democratic country that 

 these movements sometimes became the play balls of 

 self-seeking men, political wire pullers, and grafters, 

 or more often of ignorant amateurs and shallow senti- 

 mentalists, aided by half-informed newspaper writers. 

 Infinite patience was required to steer through these 



