11 



EXAMINATION OF WOODLANDS, AND PRACTICAL ASSISTANCE 

 GIVEN OWNERS. 



The policy of this office in giving assistance to owners of 

 woodland in this State has been continued during the past 

 year, with very satisfactory results. This assistance con- 

 sists in an examination and report to the owner on the con- 

 dition of his woodland or potential woodland, and advice 

 looking to the treatment of the same. This advice, other than 

 travelling expenses, is given free to the land owner. 



The examinations made in 1908 number 64, outstripping 

 the record of all previous years. The highest previous mark 

 was 47 in 1906, while last year they numbered 37, an 

 increase of 67 per cent. The acreage is 15,842, an in- 

 crease of 86 per cent over that of last year. 



Four of these examinations were what are called working 

 plans ; that is, the land was surveyed, and a forest map accom- 

 panied the report. The written outline included an estimate 

 of the amount of standing timber, its value, the improvement 

 work advised, its cost and the probable results. Two of these 

 were made for private parties, one on a tract of 250 acres 

 and one 011 a tract of 400 acres. The chef-d'oeuvre of the 

 year was a forest working plan for the city of Fall River, 

 which covered the watershed of North Watuppa Pond, the 

 city's water supply, an area of more than 5,000 acres. 

 The city owns 3,000 acres of this land. The fourth working 

 plan is for the town of Westfield, and covers the watershed 

 of their supply in Granville, some 6 square miles. Only 

 the field work of this plan has so far been completed. 



These working plans made on the watersheds are not alone 

 useful to the communities for which they are made, showing 

 them how they can handle the lands in their possession to 

 the best advantage, but offer a basis for the study of the 

 effect of forests on water flow. The working plan gives the 

 character of the watershed, its area and the amount of 

 forested and nonforested land. The controlling boards are 

 usually in possession of figures which give the yield of the 

 ponds and streams which constitute the supply. After a 



