8 FIRST ANNUAL REPORT OF THE 



cutting of trees. There lias been a falling off of 300,000,000 feet 

 the last three years, or 25 per cent. It is estimated that the forest 

 area containing merchantable timber is 10,709,970 acres, or 

 16,734 square miles, including the large area of State lands upon 

 which there is no cutting. The timber reported cut in 1910, if 

 reduced to boards one inch thick, would cover 22,956 acres, or 

 thirty-six square miles. The increase in stumpage prices and the 

 advent of the portable mill are to-day producing an extraordinary 

 amount of forest products. 



The State nurseries now contain nearly 16,000,000 growing 

 trees. During the year the State supplied at cost to private land 

 owners 1,774,000 trees, besides carrying on its own reforesting 

 operations. It has on hand 11,000,000 trees for sale next spring. 

 A new nursery was established during the year ,at Saratoga and 

 plans are being put into effect for the establishment of another at 

 Great Meadows, Comstock. The Great Meadows nursery will be 

 one of the largest in the State and one of the most efficient in the 

 United States. 



The utilization of idle soil is one of the established prin- 

 ciples of conservation, inasmuch as it makes available for the use 

 of man the productivity of land too sterile, or for other reason* 

 not suitable for other than forest purposes. It is estimated that 

 in this State to-day five trees are cut down to every one planted. 

 At the present rate of increase of reforestation and in accordance 

 with the Commission's plans it is expected to reach the much to be 

 desired result of planting, at least one tree for every one removed. 



The method of reforestation recommended by Governor Dix has 

 received approval of the people in all parts of the State. 



The use of prisoners in growing nursery stock for reforesta- 

 tion will greatly reduce the cost of the transplants, since labor is 

 the main item. The State should encourage by every means this 

 reforestation work and the policy of selling trees at cost should be 

 a very large inducement. The State should make no profit what- 

 ever on transactions of this character. 



The policy of the State in regard to its land in the Forest Pre- 

 serve should be to consolidate its holdings so that the work of pro- 

 tecting the forests and of reforesting the watersheds can be most 

 effective and at the least expense. The summits of mountains in 



