No. 4.] MASSACHUSETTS FORESTRY. 329 



abundance of cheap land suitable for forest growth within 

 the State. The State cannot do anything in the line of 

 forestry without land to work upon. Provision might be 

 made for a beginning by the purchase of lands offered for 

 sale in lots of -not less than a given number of acres, and at 

 a price not exceeding a fixed limit. An official or board 

 would be needed, whose duty would be to guard the in- 

 terests of the State, making sure that no higher price was 

 paid for lands than was necessary. This officer or board 

 should have some latitude as to prices that might be paid, 

 varying according to location and quality of land, condition 

 of the forest growth, etc. The care of the land purchased 

 would naturally devolve upon the same official or board, and 

 methods for protection against fire and prevention of tres- 

 passing would be the first duty. The purchase of land 

 would naturally begin with such as could be had at the 

 lowest price, and only lands offered by the owners would be 

 at first secured. Without doubt large areas would be offered 

 at a low price. It would of course be necessary that some 

 plan be adopted whereby the municipalities within which 

 the lands purchased lay could be reimbursed for the loss of 

 the annual taxes that had been realized from such land. It 

 might be provided that the State should pay into the treas- 

 ury of such municipality annually a sum equal to the amount 

 of taxes levied on the land purchased in the year next pre- 

 ceding the purchase. If such a plan proved unsatisfactory, 

 doubtless thoughtful men could work out a solution that 

 would be just and reasonable. When plans for the improve- 

 ment of the forests by scientific methods have been made, 

 more latitude as to prices to be paid might be given, so that 

 the tracts owned by the State might be increased to suitable 

 size for most efficient improvement ; but there is no question 

 but land enough would be ready for a beginning in many 

 localities. 



What the financial result would be in after years can oniy 

 be estimated. If the opinions of forestry experts are worthy 

 of credence, and I believe they are, we must believe that 

 with proper care and management these lands would furnish 

 a large net revenue in years to come, proportionate to the 



