No. 4.] REPORT OF STATE FORESTER. 20)5 



have been fighting the gypsy and brown-tail moths for years at 

 great expense, — unwelcome guests, to say the least; but with 

 improved methods and organized effort we were able to reduce 

 the annual appropriation $65,000 the past season, and will recom- 

 mend an additional reduction of $50,000 this year, making the 

 amount asked for this year only $200,000, as compared with 

 $315,000 ordinarily expended. 



The chestnut bark disease is prevalent in the State, and the 

 State Forester is lending every assistance possible in acquainting 

 owners of chestnut growth with the latest methods of combating 

 it. The national government is assisting us in our work against 

 the chestnut bark disease. In a new country like ours it necessarily 

 takes time to adopt and systematize our work so that it will 

 result in future benefit to our people. Forestry and its future 

 importance to the State is as yet relatively little appreciated, as 

 it takes time to educate people generally to recognize its real 

 value. 



It is a pleasure to state that the last year's General Court gave 

 the State Forester's department very generous consideration, and 

 we have been enabled thereby to accomplish the work set forth 

 in the following pages of this report. 



The constitutional amendment relative to the taxation of forest 

 lands has become a law, after having been submitted to the vote 

 of the people at the recent election. The vote of the last General 

 Court was practically unanimous, as there was not a dissenting 

 vote in the Senate and scarcely any in the House, thus showing 

 the popularity of the measure. It now remains for the incoming 

 General Court to enact some practical, simple and effective 

 legislation which will be slire to encourage modern forestry through- 

 out the State. The State Forester does not wish it to be under- 

 stood that he advocates the exemption of forest and waste lands 

 from taxation. He believes that these lands should receive 

 definitely regulated taxation, so that their owners may profitably 

 allow the forest product to stand until mature. 



The assistance by the State to towns having a million and a 

 half or less valuation, for the purpose of having some permanent 

 forest fire-fighting equipment, has been readily taken advantage 

 of this year. The $5,000 allotted each year was exhausted early 

 in the season, and we have requests already booked for next year. 



