FORESTRY COMMISSIONER 37 



(From Mr. James E. McGee, of Hibbing, St. Louis County, 

 Timber Cruiser and Surveyor for Thirty Years.) 



Hibbing, Minn., April 13, 1908. 

 Mr. C. C. Andrews, 



Forestry Commissioner, 



St. Paul, Minn. 

 My Dear Sir: 



In answer to your letter of February ist, 1908, will say that 

 your plan of reforestation meets my approval; and also your pro- 

 posed Constitutional amendment meets my approval. I have had 

 thirty years' experience as timber cruiser, surveyor and logging 

 superintendent in the forests of Northern Wisconsin and Minnesota. 



Yours truly, 



JAS. E. McGEE. 



TAX EXEMPTION TO PROMOTE FORESTRY. 



It is the opinion of some people that it would be good 

 policy to encourage the production of timber by private 

 parties by reducing the tax on land so used. In Minne- 

 sota it would require an amendment to the Constitution 

 to authorize a lower rate of tax for forest than for other 

 land. If any such measure were adopted there would 

 have to be conditions that on land receiving the benefit of 

 low tax, forest should be maintained according to forestry 

 principles. It would not do to leave the land in a wild 

 state to take its chances for natural forest growth, because 

 in such a condition it might be very many years before 

 the whole of it would become well stocked with valuable 

 timber. There would have to be conditions that all of 

 the land not well stocked naturally should be planted with 

 valuable trees at proper distance apart — say not more 

 than about five feet apart when two or three years old; 

 also that the assessor should in person annually visit the 

 land and report in detail as to the manner in which forest 

 was maintained. Besides, the State forestry authority 



