THE GOVERNMENT LEADS 119 



as he would if the timber were grown at home. 

 The State of Massachusetts owns about thirty-five 

 thousand acres of forest and has recently adopted a 

 plan of buying and planting a total of one hundred 

 thousand acres of state forest. The significant fact 

 is that this act grew out of an "Initiative" proposal 

 signed by 31,000 registered voters. Massachusetts 

 also spends a fair sum of money for fire protection 

 and, further, in common with Pennsylvania, New 

 York, Connect/cut and other commonwealths, 

 attempts to emourage reforestation by private 

 owners through a plan for reduced taxation on 

 lands set aside for the production of a new wood 

 crop. 



New Jersey obtains a result just as effective as 

 under state ownership, through a plan for state 

 care and scientific operation of some privately 

 owned forest land. This state has also put into 

 effect a law which requires the teaching of forest 

 fire prevention in the public schools. Tennessee, 

 California, Rhode Island, and West Virginia have 

 recently followed suit. 



The middle western states have been slower to 

 grasp the situation, but are now also beginning to 

 show interest. The State of Wisconsin now owns 

 about 300,000 acres of forest land, is protecting 

 it from fire and doing some planting. Illinois has 



