150 



FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 



April 



person, shall receive one-half of the 

 fine paid by such person so convicted. 



New York's 

 Forest Policy 



In a message to the 

 State legislature, trans- 

 mitted on March 9, 

 Governor Higgins outlined his policy 

 in regard to the administration of the 

 State forest lands. The gist of his 

 recommendations are as follows : 



1 I ) That the proposed constitution- 

 al amendment permitting the removal 

 of burnt timber be not submitted to the 

 people. 



(2) That the forest laws be so 

 amended as to insure the prevention of 

 trespass, to compel the prosecution of 

 malicious trespassers, both civilly and 

 criminally, to the full extent of the 

 law. and the seizure by the State of all 

 timber cut or removed by trespassers 

 from State lands, and to prevent the 

 condonation of trespassers. 



(3) That provision be made for the 

 submission to the people of a consti- 

 tutional amendment permitting a more 

 scientific delimitation of the forest re- 

 serve, so as to permit the sale of lands 

 other than wild forest lands now in- 

 cluded in the preserve, and the pur- 

 chase with the proceeds thereof of 

 other forest lands. 



Should these provisions be ratified 

 by the legislature, it means a whole 

 change in the policy of New York in 

 regard to her forest lands. The policy 

 at present in force absolutely prevents, 

 on State lands, the practice of scientific 

 forestry, since it provides that all for- 

 est preserves should forever be kept 

 as "wild forest lands." 



As a result of these recommenda- 

 tions, Senator Allds introduced a bill 

 for the reorganization of the State 

 plan for the protection of the forests. 

 The bill places the care of the forests 

 in the Forestry Department of the 

 Forest, Fish and Game Commission, 

 and gives the Commissioner sole au- 

 thority to bring action for trespass, 

 thus doing away with the divided re- 

 sponsibility now existing. Governor 

 Biggins' message is a strong plea for 

 X'nition of the importance of for- 



estry, and his recommendations are 

 well brought out and strongly empha- 

 sized. 



North Dakota An Act passed by the 

 Encourages North Dakota State 



Tree Planting Legislature, and ap- 

 proved by the Governor February 28, 

 allows an annual deduction of $3 in 

 taxes for each acre planted in any kind 

 of trees, set not more than 8 feet apart, 

 in real estate holdings of 80, 120, or 

 320 acres. Where persons plant trees 

 suitable for hedge in rows along pub- 

 lic highways, or upon their own prem- 

 ises, at the rate of more than two trees 

 to each rod, they will receive or have 

 deducted from their taxes annually a 

 bounty of $2 for every eighty rods of 

 each row r in length. This applies onlv 

 in periods of less than five years for 

 each particular row. Persons wishing 

 to secure the benefit of this measure 

 are required to file with the county au- 

 ditor or clerk in their county a diagram 

 or plat of the trees planted, and must 

 make oath, together with two free- 

 holders residing in the near vicinitv, 

 that the trees have been properly plant- 

 ed and cultivated, and that the dia- 

 gram submitted is correct. Railroads 

 planting trees within two hundred feet 

 of their track or trees planted on land 

 held under the Timber Culture Act of 

 the United States are not included in 

 the act. Section 4 of the act directs 

 the duty of each assessor to the act, 

 and outlines their method of proced- 

 ure in allowing the claim. 



.- To better protect the 



New Hampshire , , -.. TT 



Forest Fire Law forests of New Hamp- 

 shire from forest fires, 

 the legislature of that State has re- 

 cently passed a new fire law. Fire 

 wardens are created, and their duties 

 outlined. Among the most important 

 of these is the requirement that, upon 

 direction of the Forestry Commission, 

 they shall patrol forested areas, and 

 post warning notices and extracts of 

 the forest fire law. The warden is 

 vested with the right to arrest, without 

 warrant, all violators of the measure. 

 "Reasonable compensation" is allowed 

 for services of persons, or prop- 





