FISHERIES, GAME AND FORESTS. 23 



shows that 6,280 men, using 18 steamers, 9 schooners, 235 sloops, and 1,435 boats and 

 skiffs, are engaged in this industry. 



These men employ $2,147,850 of capital, and market annually 2,397,735 bushels of 

 oysters and 380,460 bushels of clams. The market value of their product is probably 

 very near to $2,500,000. 



Since the enactment of the law of 1887, entitled "An act to promote the cultiva- 

 tion of shellfish in the waters of this State," 17,707 acres have been covered by fran- 

 chises and leases, and there are still at least 200,000 acres available. Shellfish culture 

 will be treated more in detail later in the report by the Shellfish Commissioner. 



At the close of the deer shooting season in 1895 this Commission made a system- 

 atic investigation to determine the number of deer killed in the counties including the 

 Forest Preserve. It was the first attempt to make a careful and thorough canvass of 

 deer killed in this State. For this purpose the Adirondack region was divided into 

 161 districts, and 249 separate reports were received. A recapitulation shows that a 

 total of 4,900 deer were killed, 2,207 being bucks and 2,693 being does. As to the 

 manner of killing, 1,233 were killed by night hunting, 2,694 by hounding, and 973 by 

 still hunting. In view of this enormous slaughter, . for we are convinced that the 

 returns are accurate, as far as can be obtained, we would recommend that further and 

 more stringent laws be enacted to preserve the deer from extinction, either by a 

 shorter season, by regulating the manner of killing, or both. 



Proposed Legislation. 



In further pursuance of the law requiring this Commission to make annually such 

 recommendations for legislative action as its Board may deem proper, we would 

 respectfully recommend that certain changes be made in the present law relating to 

 forest fires. 



As the law now stands, the expense in fighting a forest fire, especially the pay of 

 the firewarden and his posse, is a State charge. We recommend that the law be 

 amended in this respect so that one-half the expense only shall be borne by the State, 

 leaving the other half to be paid by the town in which the fire or fires occurred. 



While the citizens of our entire State are interested in forest preservation and the 

 prevention of forest fires, the residents and land owners in forest towns within the 

 Adirondack or Catskill counties have a direct and important interest in such matters. 

 In such towns a fire in the woods means a direct loss to a lumberman if his timber 

 is destroyed ; also, to hotel men and guides, who can no longer expect custom and 



