No. 4.] REPORT OF STATE FORESTER. 351 



fact most of the nurserymen of the entire country, have been 

 engaged in raising ornamental and shade trees at prices 

 which prohibit their use in forest plantations, and it is likely 

 that the nurserymen of this State will not care to take up a 

 different line of work ; in this event, the niu-sery will be ex- 

 panded as circumstances may make it advisable. In regard 

 to the collection and distribution of seeds, for which provi- 

 sion is also made in the act, it has been decided to pursue 

 the same policy as in regard to the nursery. Some seed has 

 been collected for use in connection with the nursery, but, 

 as said above relative to the nursery, it would be a mistake 

 for the State to go into the business of collecting and dis- 

 tributing seeds, if reliable men can be induced to undertake 

 it and furnish seeds at reasonable i-ates. 



The State Forest Library. 

 A library of 141 books and pamphlets has been collected, 

 and they are being arranged and catalogued. Nearly all of 

 these are government publications, and have been presented 

 to this office, so that their collection represents almost no 

 expenditure. It will be my policy to add to this collection 

 from time to time, and to make it available not only for 

 olfice use, but to all who may wish to use it. 



Education of the Public in Forestry. 

 Section 2 of the act makes it the general duty of the State 

 Forester to promote the perpetuation, extension and proper 

 management of the forest lands of the Commonwealth, both 

 public and private. Under the provisions here implied, 

 twenty invitations, exclusive of the course at the Agricul- 

 tural College, to talk or lecture on forestry and kindred 

 subjects, have been accepted. It has been necessary to 

 refuse a great many engagements of this sort, for lack of 

 time, although the value of this kind of educational work is 

 fully realized. Eight of these engagements have already 

 been filled, and the others are for this winter and S[)ring. 



