Part I.] REPORT OF SECRETARY. 45 



large measure upon the proper protection given against all those 

 agencies which threaten it, such as forest fires, insect depreda- 

 tions and other dangers. 



It is gratifying to know that to meet the fire danger there has 

 been created a splendid fire-prevention system. Under the opera- 

 tion of this system few fires burn for any considerable time with- 

 out being discovered and reported from some lookout station, 

 thirty of which are now located at suitable points in the State. 

 This has resulted in reducing the annual losses caused by forest 

 fires from a sum well up in the hundreds of thousands of dollars 

 a few years ago down to less than $50,000 the past year. 



The application of modern forestry principles to the work of 

 suppressing the gypsy and brown-tail moths has been quite 

 extensive during the past year, and the result has been ex- 

 tremely satisfactory. 



Last year the secretary reported the purchase by the State 

 Forest Commission of a tract of land comprising about 1,700 

 acres in the towns of Winchendon, Royalston and Templeton, 

 and named the Otter River State Forest. During the twelve 

 months just past the same commission has acquired two more 

 tracts, one of 6,000 acres in the towns of Plj^mouth and Carver 

 and named the Myles Standish State Forest. The second tract 

 of approximately 1,000 acres in Middlesex County, in the towns 

 of North Reading and Andover, has not yet been given a name. 

 The awakened interest on the part of our citizens generally in all 

 that pertains to forestry seems to assure a bright future for this 

 important undertaking. 



Apple Grading. 

 The apple-grading law as a compulsory measure went into 

 effect on July 1, 1916. Six field inspectors were appointed, 

 namely, Mr. Alden C. Brett of North Abington, INIr. F. H. 

 Greeley of Salisbury, Mr. W. F. Plummer of Newbury, Mr. 

 Karl INI. Perham of Chelmsford, and Mr. John H. Hardy, Jr., 

 of Littleton. Mr. R. Edwards Annin, Jr., was appointed chief 

 deputy inspector to have general charge of the work. The 

 secretary and Mr. H. L. White also acted as inspectors in 

 emergency instances. The county agents were also asked to 

 co-operate in the work of advertising the law, and did so with 



