^ lien he pays taxes for the privilege. Certainly there 

 is no justification for his holding it for nothing by 

 omitting to pay taxes and yet retain his title to the 

 land for an indefinite period. 



(6) Items 4 and 5 above both indicate what seems 

 to us a real weakness in our land laws; namely, the 

 inclusion of mineral rights in land titles. If these 

 mineral rights have value, even such speculative value 

 as would lead an owner to hold onto land for the 

 sake of the possible value of the underlying minerals, 

 they should be separated from the land, be taxed 

 separately and be covered by a separate deed. These 

 supposed mineral rights have already caused the legis- 

 lature in past years to rescind back taxes. They are 

 the chief obstacle that blocks the reversion of idle, 

 delinquent lands to the state so that they could be 

 used. They are preventing the transfer and use of 

 the surface rights of thousands of acres. These facts 

 present a tremendous handicap to the development 

 of the northern part of this state. 



The Forestry Board feels that the solution of this 

 problem is all important to the progress of the state 

 and should have prompt and serious attention from 

 1h<> proper state authorities. 



(7) It has been proved that the white pine blister 

 rust cannot be eradicated from the state, but that it 

 is subject to a certain amount of control. There is 

 sufficient evidence to warrant the belief that the 

 eradication of currants and gooseberries among, and 

 for a zone of 1,000 feet outside of, a growthof pine will 

 adequately protect that pine from the disease. Ex- 



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