4. In case the state forested shall find that any or all of 

 the land covered by an application is suitable, he shall be 

 empowered to enter on behalf of the state into a contract 

 with the properly authorized owner of the land which shall 

 condition its separate classification as reforestation land, and 

 its continuance under su'ch classification, upon compliance 

 with regulations for fostering and protecting forest growth 

 on lands so classified and with all other provisions except it 

 shall be provided that if the state forester shall at any tin^e 

 find the timber upon the tract or part thereof sufficient!)* 

 mature and merchantable to be either cut or more properly 

 taxed [under] laws then existing for the taxation of mature 

 timber, he may require the owner to elect between its cut- 

 ting and taxation under this act within two years or its re- 

 classification under said laws for the taxation of mature 

 timber. 



5. Upon acceptance and execution of such a contract, the 

 land covered thereby shall be separately classified as re- 

 forestation land by the state forester, who shall certify to 

 this effect to the owner and to the assessor of the county 

 wherein the land lies, forwarding the latter a plat and de- 

 scription thereof. Upon such certification to the county as- 

 sessor, said land and the forest growth then or thereafter 

 thereon shall be separated for purposes of taxation as long 



'as said separate classification continues. The assessor when 

 making the annual assessment shall assess only the value of 

 the land alone, not enhanced by reason of any forest growth 

 thereon, and upon no higher basis than upon which he as- 

 sesses contiguous or nearby wild unforested land of the same 

 character not separately classified under the act. No tax 

 shall be paid upon the timber until it is cut, when it shall 

 be assessed and taxed upon its full stumpage value at the 

 rate then applied to general property in the same county. 



6. Before the owner of such land cuts or permits the cut- 

 ting of any forest material thereon he shall notify the county 

 assessor of the extent and duration of the proposed cutting 

 and the assessor shall determine and advise him as to the 

 necessary frequency and dates of such reports of the cutting 

 as may be required for proper assessment of the timber cut. 



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