ELEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE STATE FORESTER. 



Introduction. 



The granting by the General Court at its last session of an 

 appropriation of $90,000 for the purchase of State forests, the 

 enactment of both the forest taxation law and regulations for 

 the disposal of slash bordering forestry operations, together with 

 an increased forest fire appropriation, were in themselves suffi- 

 cient to give encouragement to any State forester. 



The season of 1914 to our mind eclipsed all previous ones in 

 undertakings and accomplishments. It is therefore with a great 

 deal of pride and no little pleasure that your State Forester 

 presents this, his annual report, outlining in a general way the 

 activities of this department for the past year. He fully realizes 

 that for whatever progress has been made the credit belongs to 

 no one person, but to the splendid co-operation on the part of 

 the people generally. 



"Conservation" has come to be the term that stands for 

 accomplishing something in the economic utilization of our 

 natural resources throughout the nation, and it is an ungrateful 

 citizenship that will not respond to aiding this great and im- 

 portant cause. Our Massachusetts people have awakened to 

 not only talk and advocate conservation, but have gone even 

 farther and enlisted in a campaign of restoration and utilization 

 as well as "conservation." Our State being one of the oldest, 

 and abounding in excellent markets, the forest products have 

 been heavily drawn upon, and hence our forest lands have been 

 rapidly depleted. Now that other and further sources of supply 

 have met with similar experience, the time has come when we 

 must determine our future source of forest products. LTpon 

 turning to a study of forest culture and management we find 

 here in Massachusetts a fertile field for great accomplishments. 



