REFORESTATION IN MASSACHUSETTS 



163 



Moneg Yield Table. 

 Manufactured and stumpage values. 



The legislature, within the past five years, has recognized the immense 

 possibilities of forestry as a factor in adding to the wealth of the state, and 

 has enacted several laws based upon recommendations of the state forester, 

 intended to advance it. The reforestation act of 1908 has enabled the state 

 forester to make a most promising beginning, about forty separate planta- 

 tions covering 2,000 acres at an average cost of less than $10.00 per acre 

 having already been made. Much of this land was acquired by the common- 

 wealth under the provisions of the law which allows owners to turn over 

 land to the state for the purpose of reforestation, reserving the right to 

 redeem the land at any time within ten years, for the actual amount expended. 

 Nearly tifteen hundred acres of land are now in the hands of the state forester 

 ready for planting next season. 



Previous to this year most of the trees planted were purchased from 

 nurserymen, but last spring our nursery at Amherst, established three years 

 ago, supplied about half of the one million seedlings used, and henceforth 

 will furnish a large percentage of those required. This nursery, which is 

 on the grounds of the Massachusetts Agricultural College, covers seven and 

 one-half acres, and has in stock about two million pine seedlings, one half 

 million Norway spruce, and several hundred thousand other species. Another 

 nursery has been laid out at Sandwich on Cape Cod, but so far only one-half 

 an acre has been utilized. 



The plantations scattered all over the state have been of great interest 

 to property owners, and have done much toward stimulating private enter- 

 prise along this line. The records at the office of the state forester show 

 that in addition to the 2,000 acres planted under his direction, 2,000 acres 

 have been planted by private parties and 1,500 by other agencies, principally 

 the Metropolitan Water and Sewerage Boards. 



So gratifying has been the progress made in the work of reforestation 

 up to the present time, and so wide are the possibilities in this direction that 

 a much larger appropriation has been asked for this year in order that 

 operations along this line may be greatly extended. 



