396 ECONOMICS OF FORESTRY. 



of the forestry interests of the state were, how- 

 ever, not carried into effect until 1885, when a law 

 was passed creating the office of a forest commis- 

 sioner and constituting the county commissioners 

 and road overseers' throughout the state, forest 

 officers in their respective localities, to act as a 

 police force in preventing depredation and fire, and 

 to encourage and promote forest culture. But the 

 provisions to carry out this laudable work were 

 from the start insufficient, and the office of forest 

 commissioner finally remaining without a salary 

 became vacant, the law ineffective. A new de- 

 parture, however, was made in 1897. In that year 

 a department of forestry, game, and fish was 

 created. The salaried officers provided are a com- 

 missioner and three wardens, and the commissioner 

 may appoint deputy wardens without pay. Section 

 9 of the law provides that — 



" Said commissioner shall, as much as possible, 

 promote the growth and extension of the forest 

 areas of the state, and encourage the planting of 

 trees and the preservation of the sources of water 

 supply, but nothing in this act contained shall 

 authorize the commissioner to interfere with the 

 use of timber for domestic, mining, or agricultmral 

 purposes, in accordance with existing laws. He 

 shall have the care of all woodlands and forests 

 which may at any time be controlled by the state, 

 and shall cause all such lands to be located and 

 recorded in a book to be kept for the purpose." 



