10 FlJKST ANNUAL IxEPOliT OF THE 



they protect the head waters of our streams for the preservation 

 and regulation of the same. 



It seems to us that it would be wise for the State to adopt some 

 measures by which these isolated tracts might be sold and the pro- 

 ceeds thereof used in the purchase of lands within the parks 

 proper. 



The Commission also found that its predecessors in office had 

 been conducting negotiations for the purchase of a considerable 

 quantity of land in the park system, particularly in the Catskills. 

 These negotiations were found to be in various stages of com- 

 pletion. In some cases the deeds had been taken from the owners 

 and placed on record. In other cases, proposals for the sale of 

 land had been tendered by the owners and the State had made 

 offers for the same and agreed upon the price to be paid therefor, 

 subject, of course, to the production of an abstract showing title 

 thereto and subject, further, to the consent and approval of the 

 Executive.' 



In the Catskill park it was found that negotiations for the pur- 

 chase of lands aggregating 16,678 acres had been undertaken by 

 the Forest Purchasing Board. The price agreed to be paid for 

 these lands, subject to approval of title and the further approval 

 of the Governor, was $90,518.30, and it was found that the appro- 

 priation available for their purchase was $22,289.86, leaving a 

 balance unprovided for amounting to $68,228.44. 



In the Adirondacks it appears that aside from the large area 

 known as the Taggart-Fisher tract of about 40,000 acres which 

 had been appropriated by the Forest Purchasing Board, it had 

 negotiated for the purchase of lands amounting at the agreed price 

 to the sum of $1,860. The balance of the appropriation available 

 for the purchase of lands in the Adirondacks amounted to the sum 

 of $48,174.48. 



It appears, therefore, that this Board had practically contracted 

 for lands valued at $21,913.96 more than had been appropriated 

 for that purpose. This does not take into account the value of the 

 large tract of land appropriated by the Forest Purchasing Board 

 as heretofore mentioned. 



This Commission has completed the purchase of all lands where 

 the owners had delivered deeds thereto to the State and the same 

 had been recorded, and has also investigated the remaining lands 



