THE PROGRESS OF FORESTRY IN NEW ENGLAND 403 



was sold to lumber companies and other individuals. One thou- 

 sand acres in every unorganized town was held by the state 

 against the day when that town should be settled, and, when a 

 town was organized, this land was turned over to the town for 

 school purposes. There are still sixty-nine of these tracts so 

 held by the state in as many unorganized towns. These lands 

 are under the control of the land commissioner, and bring in 

 some revenue to the state from time to time as timber is sold 

 from them. 



Maine is, therefore, fortunate in having, under state ownership, 

 larger tracts of land than any other New England state, and it 

 is very much to be hoped, from the standpoint of forestry, as 

 well as from that of the school system, that some change of 

 policy can be effected whereby such portions of these tracts as 

 are true forest soils may be permanently managed by the state 

 under forestry principles; the income from each individual tract 

 to be paid by the state to the town after it is organized, for school 

 purposes. Under such a plan this land could be managed to 

 produce a larger permanent income than in any other way. 

 The state would realize a considerable income from the un- 

 organized townships, and the school systems in towns, hereafter 

 organized, could rely definitely on a fairly steady, or increasing 

 income. Such tracts would also serve the educational and pro- 

 tective purposes so valuable in state forests. 



Insects. 

 G. — Both the brown-tail and gipsy moths are present in 

 southern Maine. The work of exterminating them is under 

 the state entomologist. During the period from May, 1905, to 

 January, 19 10, there has been expended on this work by the 

 state, $95,000, by the United States, $50,000. 



II. Forestry Practice. 

 Lands Under State Ownership. 

 A . — From the foregoing pages the following summary of the 

 lands in New England under state ownership has been derived. 



