560 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc- 



New Legislation. 

 The Legislature of 1914 is fairly entitled to the credit of 

 having enacted more important legislation calculated to ad- 

 vance the forestry interests of the Commonwealth than has 

 been done in any previous year. 



Forest Taxation. 

 Much has been said during the past few years with regard 

 to the importance and desirability of a law which would change 

 the unsatisfactory method of taxing wild and forest lands 

 which has been in vogue in this State from time immemorial. 

 The insistent demand of those interested in the subject cul- 

 minated in the passage by the last Legislature of an act en- 

 titled, "An Act to provide for the classification and taxation 

 of wild or forest lands." This bill was prepared by a com- 

 mission appointed by the Governor for that special purpose. 

 While the act is too long to be published in this report, the 

 State Forester has recently issued a booklet containing a full 

 text of the law with explanatory notes, which will be mailed 

 to any one on request.^ 



Slash Laiv. 

 Another law, which if properly enforced cannot fail to be of 

 great benefit in reducing the forest fire evil, is the so-called 

 slash law.^ 



Injurio us Insects . 

 The State Forester desires also to call attention to an act 

 passed enabling cities and towns to suppress the tent cater- 

 pillar, leopard moth and elm beetle. This act was passed upon 

 the petition of prominent town and city officials of the met- 

 ropolitan district.^ 



State Forest Commission. 

 Chapter 131, Acts of 1913, creating a Forest Tax Commis- 

 sion, authorized said commission, in addition to a study of the 

 tax problem, to "investigate the present policy of the com- 



1 For text of forest taxation act, see " Agricultural Legislation of 1914," p. 335. 



2 For text of slash act, see " Agricultural Legislation of 1914," p. 334. 



3 For text of insect suppression act, see " Agricultural Legislation of 1914," p. 348. 



