1899- 



AMERICAN FORESTRY ASSOCIATION. 



i37 



neither of them reached him officially 

 until after final adjournment had been 

 made, without having an appropriation 

 attached. 



Massachusetts. 



The bill providing for the codification 

 and amendment of the laws relating to 

 the preservation of trees was taken up 

 by the Massachusetts Legislature on an 

 amendment proposed to strike out the 

 provision requiring towns to elect tree 

 wardens. The amendment was rejected, 

 the mover being the only one to vote in 

 its favor. The final vote in favor of the 

 bill was unanimous, 104 votes being 

 cast. 



The Metropolitan Park Commission 

 bill was signed by Governor Wolcott on 

 May 27. The bill provides an ap- 

 propriation of $500,000 for additional 

 roadways and boulevards. 



The forest survey measure has failed 

 in Massachusetts. 



Minnesota. 



A review of the work accomplished in 

 Minnesota shows that a distinct and grat- 

 ifying advance was made by the legisla- 

 ture, in the section just closed, in legis- 

 lation looking to forest preservation. An 

 appropriation of $20,000 was made to ex- 

 tend the area of Itasca State Park over 

 the contiguous timber lands. To round 

 out this forest park, at the summit sources 

 of the Mississippi, it is necessary to ac- 

 quire about 8,000 acres, and if the ap- 

 propriation, half of which is to be ex- 

 pended this year and half next, does not 

 go far enough, the attorney- general is 

 authorized to secure an option for a term 

 of two years on other desirable lands. 



The Cross forestry act was passed. It 

 creates a forestry board, consisting of the 

 chief fire warden, the professor of horti- 

 culture at the State agricultural college, 

 three persons to be named by the regents 

 of the State university, and four to be 

 recommended by the forestry association, 

 the State agricultural society, the horti- 

 cultural society and the State game and 

 fish commission. Forestry reserves are 

 created to consist of such State lands as 



may be set apart for the purpose or which 

 may be deeded by private owners or 

 granted by the United States Govern- 

 ment. The care and management of 

 these reserves is vested in the forestry 

 board. 



It is hardly necessary to restate other 

 provisions of the bill relating to the dis- 

 position of the income from these lands, 

 or to the comprehensive duties imposed 

 upon the board of reforesting denuded 

 lands, foresting waste lands, preventing 

 the destruction of forests by fire, admin- 

 istering forests on forestry principles, the 

 conservation of forests about the head- 

 waters of rivers, etc., because all these 

 provisions are practically rendered nuga- 

 tory for the present by the failure of the 

 legislature to make any appropriation to 

 carry them out. An appropriation of 

 $1,000 annually is made for the actual 

 expenses of the forestry board. As the 

 St. Paul Pioneer Press says, not much 

 can be done with so small a sum, but it 

 is doubtless considered the thin edge of 

 a wedge which is to be hammered home 

 in future sessions of the legislature. 



Wisconsin. 



The Wisconsin legislature, after con- 

 sidering the advisability of taking effect- 

 ive measures to protect the forest inter- 

 ests of the State, finally defeated, on 

 May 2, the bill providing for a commis- 

 sioner of forestry at a salary of $2,500 

 a year, and a number of deputy com- 

 missioners. The sum of $15,000 was 

 estimated for their total salaries and 

 expenses. 



Michigan. 



A bill was brought before the State 

 Senate providing for the creation of a per- 

 manent forestry commission, which is to 

 consist of three members, one to be 

 by chosen the Michigan State Agricul- 

 tural Society, to serve six years; the 

 second to be chosen by the Michigan 

 State Horticultural Society, to serve four 

 years, and the third to be chosen by the 

 Michigan Academy of Science, to serve 

 two years; the appointments to date from 

 July 1, 1899, and at the expiration of their 



