No. 4.] REPORT OF STATE FORESTER. 553 



the title over to the State. Either method is getting results, and that is 

 the goal in view. 



(11) Causes and Numbers of Forest Fires. — Each season we have se- 

 cured more definite data as to causes of fii'es, and through a better check- 

 ing up s}'stem practically all fires are now reported to the State Fire 

 Warden. Blank forms are filled out by the forest warden after each fire, 

 and mailed to the State Forester's office. With the causes of forest fires 

 well understood it is less difficult to study out ways and means of obvi- 

 ating them. 



(12) State Forests. — Our recent Legislature enacted a law empowering 

 the Governor to appoint two State Forest Commissioners who, with the 

 State Forester, are to purchase lands for State forests. The sum of S90,000 

 was appropriated for tliis purpose. The commission is restricted in the 

 purchase price of the proposed forests. They are not allowed to pay 

 over S5 an acre on the average. The policy of the State is to establish 

 these proposed forests on lands now unproductive and hkely to remain 

 so, did the State not step in and reclaim them for forestry. Already the 

 commission has gone over the State quite thoroughly, and many pro- 

 spective tracts are in view. These tracts will give the State Forester an 

 opportunity to demonstrate forestry on a more pretentious scale. 



(13) State Forest Nurseries. — The State of Massachusetts grows its 

 own small trees. A nursery of 7 acres is established on the farm of the 

 Massachusetts Agricultural College at Amherst, and another of 4 acres 

 is located at Barnstable on the Cape. Last year our inventory showed 

 7,000,000 trees, and our seed beds are increased in numbers this season. 



A nursery has been started at the Massachusetts State Farm at Bridge- 

 water, and this will be enlarged upon for transplant stock next season. 

 With the advent of State-owned forests we will need a large output of 

 young stock. ^ 



(14) Lectures and Exhibitions. — The State Forester and his assistants 

 are called upon for talks and lectures by many organizations, colleges, 

 schools, boards of trade, etc., and it has been through this medium that 

 many people have become interested in forestry. The State Forester 

 alone gave fifty-four talks and lectures one season. This season the 

 department has a new feature in demonstrating its work by moving 

 pictures. Numerous exliibits are made of the State work each year at 

 various fairs, food shows, sportsmen's shows, etc. A State Forester's 

 exhibit is being prepared at the present time for the Panama-Pacific 

 Exposition at San Francisco next year. 



(15) Other regulations worthy of mention are: — 



(a) Power of the Governor to issue a proclamation closing the open 

 season for hunting in dry times. This action was taken in the State this 

 fall for the first time in many years. 



(6) Boy scouts are voluntarily becoming our best forest-fire fighters. 

 Co-operative encouragement here brings remarkable results. 



(c) Fish and game deputies have the same authority in many respects as 

 forest wardens. They are required to report all fires to the forest wardens. 



