FORESTRY MOVEMENT IN UNITED STATES. 387 



proposed was antagonized by the lumbering in- 

 terests. The legislature finally passed a compro- 

 mise bill formulated in part by the writer, entitled 

 " An act establishing a forest commission, and to 

 define its powers, and for the preservation of 

 forests." 



This legislation, afterward amended, is the most 

 comprehensive of that of any state in the Union. 



The original forest commission, appointed under 

 the act of May 15, 1885, was superseded in 1895 by 

 the Commission of Fisheries, Game, and Forests 

 (now designated " Forest, Fish, and Game Commis- 

 sion ") under the law of April 25, 1895. This law 

 is a comprehensive measure in which allied inter- 

 ests are brought under the control of a single 

 board. Under this law the commission consisted 

 of five members appointed by the governor with 

 consent of the senate, the term of office being five 

 years. 



By later changes, the number of commissioners 

 was reduced to three, two of whom are to discon- 

 tinue with the year 1903, so that then a single 

 commissioner will be in charge. The commission 

 has full control of the Adirondack Preserve, with a 

 staff of officials which includes a superintendent 

 of forests, three expert foresters (since 1900) who 

 are graduates of the State College of Forestry, 

 and some forty "fish and game protectors and 

 foresters," i.e. not technically educated guards. 



The duties of the commission besides publish- 



