68 FIFTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE 



springs, rivulets and creeks, all over the eastern and northern part of the 

 State. At no time since records have been kept has the water in the Hud- 

 son river been as low as during the month of November and the first half of 

 December, 1909. A close observation kept on the conditions throughout 

 the Adirondacks and Catskill counties during the whole summer and fall 

 has shown that, not even during the dry period of 1908, was there so little 

 water in the creeks, springs and rivers as during the late summer and fall 

 of 1909. This fact is significant. 



It is also observable that where the largest areas of cuttings have 

 been made and where there is the largest number of acres of deforested 

 land, the drouth has been the most intense and the scarcity of water the 

 greatest. In fact the problem of having sufficient water for the ordinary 

 purposes of the people in much of the eastern part of the State has become 

 very serious. So far as anyone knows or so far as any records indicate 

 such a condition was unknown when there were large quantities of standing 

 timber in the State. The forest is getting thinner and thinner year by year 

 and onlv worthless wood growth is being left. The hundreds of little 

 sawmills that move about from place to place are denuding all the ridges 

 and wooded places throughout the farming districts of the State, on the 

 one hand; while the continued and increased cutting of the large lumber 

 companies and individuals throughout the Adirondacks and Catskills to the 

 extent of 1,500,000,000 board feet is very rapidly taking off all of the conifer- 

 ous tree growth that we formerly possessed. 



As the trees disappear the water gradually diminishes in quantity, 

 and at times has been so low that it teaches us that the danger line has 

 already been reached and we ought not to take another step beyond it. 

 The remedies to be prescribed and applied have often been suggested by 

 us, and we venture once again to call attention to them in the hope that 

 better things may be done. 



First.— -The State should acquire and control every acre of land it 

 can afford to appropriate money to purchase. Hardwood lumbering which 

 means the total taking off of hardwood growth, as the coniferous trees have 

 been taken, should be prevented at least within the blue line in both State 

 parks. 



