CONSERVATION COMMISSION. 9 



the parks should be acquired so as to afford the greatest protection 

 to the watersheds in the conservation of water. 



The Conservation Commission regards the State Forest Pre- 

 serve as the people's great playground and health resort, for the 

 use of all and abuse of none. 



The prevalence and destructive effects of the chestnut blight 

 have received much attention during the summer. The disease has 

 virtually wiped out the valuable chestnut groves of New Jersey, 

 and, according to the Pennsylvania Chestnut Blight Commission 

 has caused $10,000,000 damage to the forests of that state. A 

 conference was held by this Commission with Commissioner of 

 Agriculture Pearson and representatives of Pennsylvania, New 

 Jersey, Massachusetts and Connecticut, and plans discussed for 

 controlling and eradicating the disease, which is threatening the 

 extinction of a valuable forest tree. This disease, together with 

 the State's experience with the white pine blister rust and other 

 serious tree troubles, suggests the urgent necessity for the services 

 of an expert plant pathologist. The nature of many of the tree 

 diseases, the agencies by which they are spread and methods of 

 control are almost unknown. 



Purchase of Forest Lands. 



Prior to the creation of the Conservation Commission the 

 authority to purchase lands in the Adirondack and Catskill parks 

 was vested in the Forest Purchasing Board. The powers and 

 duties of that board were delegated to this Commission by the 

 Conservation Law. 



At the time of the organization of this Commission it appears 

 that the State owned 1,643,244: acres of land in the Forest Pre- 

 serve counties. Of this acreage 1,401,942 acres are situated within 

 the Adirondack park and 102,677 acres within the Catskill park. 

 The remaining lands aggregating 138,625 acres are situated in the 

 Forest Preserve counties outside of the parks proper. These 

 isolated tracts, averaging small areas of land, are so scattered that 

 it is difficult and expensive to protect them from the dangers of 

 fire and from devastation by trespass, and they contribute very 

 little to the purpose for which these parks were created. They 

 are of little or no use as pleasure grounds for the people ; nor do 



