No. 4.] FORESTRY AND ROADS. 231 



REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON FORESTRY, ROADS AND 

 ROADSIDE IMPROVEMENTS. 



[Adopted at the Annual Meeting, Jan. 9, 1900.] 



The duties of this committee are defined in article 11 of 

 chapter III. of the by-laws of the Board ; and your committee 

 are there charged with the duties of the Board of Forestry, 

 under chapter 255 of the Acts of 1882, with all matters relat- 

 ing to forest fires (the greatest curse to forestry), the pro- 

 motion of forests and the reforestation and reservation of 

 public lands for the culture of forest trees. Also all matters 

 relating to roads and roadside improvements, shall be referred 

 to this committee, who shall consider the same from time to 

 time and report to this Board. Said chapter 255 is com- 

 posed of five sections. Section 1 is upon the preservation 

 and culture of forest trees by cities and towns, and gives 

 them the right to appropriate money to take and purchase 

 land, to receive donations of money or land for the purpose, 

 and to make public domains of such land. The right to 

 make rules and regulations to control it is included in this 

 section. Section 2 requires early descriptions of the land 

 taken to be recorded in the registry of deeds. Section 3 

 states that the Board of Agriculture shall act as a Board of 

 Forestry, to serve without pay, and shall appoint keepers. 

 Section 4 provides for sale of products to be paid to the Board 

 and applied to the management. Section 5 gives power to 

 erect buildings for instruction and recreation. But other 

 plans have been advanced and other acts have been passed 

 and associations have been formed, which have taken the 

 place substantially, if not wholly, of the act which I have 

 quoted from our by-laws. 



Your committee have not been unmindful of the charge 

 placed upon them, and, while the members have severally, I 



