262 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE [Jan. 



too many acres lying idle, -which it would be more profitable to 

 plant with trees than anything else. 



Mr. Dawson ends by commending the idea of clothing the 

 unused and unwisely cultivated land with trees. 



While in attendance upon the joint meeting of the Ameri- 

 can Economic and Forestry Associations at Washington, on 

 December 30 last, I introduced the subject of the woodlands 

 of this State; and the act of 1882 (chapter 255, Public 

 Statutes, sections 1-5) was referred to, which gives this 

 Board power to act as a board of forestry. The public 

 reservation of forest land in the city of Lynn was referred 

 to in words of high praise, and the question arose as to 

 whether such reservation was taken under the act just 

 referred to. Such is not the case, but the Lynn reservation 

 is held by that city, and not held by her under that act. 



It was then suggested that said act be so altered, or a new 

 act passed, giving this Board the power to take stump land 

 or waste land at a low valuation ; the title to rest in the 

 State ; this Board to act as a board of forestry without pay, 

 and to employ a trained forester to have full charge of the 

 property when held in sufficient quantity. 



In the older countries the government finds it not only 

 necessary but profitable to own and manage forest land ; and 

 in Europe many nations have their system of forestry 

 schools, and forest workmen who are organized very much 

 like a military corps. 



We have this precedent to follow, and it may be advisable 

 to suggest that the Legislature consider this subject in its 

 several phases. But the power to take the land, and raise 

 the money to pay for it, would have to be given. After the 

 land was secured, it should early yield enough to pay for its 

 management, and later yield an income to the State, and 

 form a sinking fund to eventually extinguish any bonds 

 which might have been issued to raise money for payment. 

 As the land would probably be taken in the poorer part of 

 the State, it would probably be advisable to give a bonus to 

 the towns in which it was situated, or to continue an annual 

 payment to the towns, equivalent to the amount of tax 

 raised on said lands at the time of this taking. When build- 



