No. 4.] AGRICULTURAL LEGISLATION. 347 



The term of office of the appointive members of the commission shall be six 

 years, except that when first appointed one of the members shall be ap- 

 pointed for six years and one for three years. Thereafter one member shall 

 be appointed every third year. 



Section 2. The commission shall have power to acquire for the com- 

 monwealth by purchase or othei-wise, and to hold, woodland or land suit- 

 able for timber cultivation within the commonwealth. The commission 

 may, after a public hearing, sell or exchange any land thus acquired which 

 in the judgment of the commission can no longer be used advantageously 

 for the purposes of this act. The average cost of land purchased by the 

 commission shall not exceed five dollars an acre. 



Section 3. Lands acquired under the pro\'isions of this act shall be 

 known as state forests and shall be under the control and management of 

 the state forester. He shall proceed to re-forest and develop such lands and 

 shall have power to make all reasonable regulations which in his opinion 

 will tend to increase the public enjoyment and benefit therefrom and to 

 protect and conserve the water supplies of the commonwealth. The state 

 forester shall keep and shall publish in liis annual report an account of all 

 money invested in each state forest, and of the annual income and expense 

 thereof. 



Section 4. In the reforestation, maintenance, and development of 

 lands purchased under this act, the state forester, so far as it is practicable, 

 shall obtain the labor necessary therefor under the proidsions of chapter 

 six hundred and thirtj^-three of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and 

 thirteen, and acts in amendment thereof and in addition thereto. 



Section 5. Land acquired under the provisions of this act shall be 

 exempt from taxation; but the commonwealth shall reimburse cities and 

 towns in which such lands are situated for taxes lost by reason of their 

 acquisition, in the same manner and to the same extent as in the case of 

 lands acquired for public institutions under the provisions of chapter six 

 hundred and seven of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and ten. 



Section 6. The sum of ten thousand dollars may be expended during 

 the present year and the sum of twenty thousand doUars may be expended 

 annually for the four succeeding years by the state forest commission in the 

 acquisition of lands under the provisions of this act : provided, that the said 

 commission may, at its discretion, authorize the state forester to expend a 

 part of said sum in the maintenance of said lands. If any part of said 

 twenty thousand doUars remains unexpended at the close of any year, the 

 balance may be expended in the following year. The said commission may 

 also expend not more than five hundred dollars annually for its necessary 

 expenses incurred in carrying out the provisions of this act. 



Section 7. This act shall take effect upon its passage. [Approved 

 June 29, 1914. 



