FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSIONER. 



16: 



law to limit our purchases to the areas within the parks. The State owns 



118,923 acres without the Adirondack park 

 10,056 acres without the Catskill park 



which have been acquired chiefly by tax sales, and none by purchase. 

 These lands are mostly situated in small outlying parcels, are protected at 

 a large expense, and ought to be sold and the proceeds used to purchase 

 land within the parks. Some of these lots contain a fair stand of timber t 

 while others are of but doubtful value. The sale of these lots ought to 

 furnish means to buy twice as large an acreage inside the park. 



The following table shows the number of acres of land owned by the 

 State at the beginning of the year 1908, the amount acquired during the 

 year, the title of which has been conveyed to the State, and also the acreage 

 which has been purchased and actual conveyance is awaiting the examina- 

 tion and acceptance of the titles. 



PRESERVE 



ACREAGE DEC. 

 31. 1907. 



ACREAGE AC- 

 QUIRED 1908. 



ACREAGE DEC. 

 31, 1908. 



ACREAGE 

 CONTRACTED 



AWAITING 

 CONVEYANCE 



TOTAL ACREAGE 

 OWNED AND 

 CONTRACTED 



EOR DEC. 31, 1908 



Adirondack. 

 Catskill. . . . 



I ,438,999 

 109,451 



61 ,627 



1 ,740 



I , 500 , 626 

 111,191 



24,648 



J 9.295 



1.525.274 

 130 , 486 



1.548,45° 



63.367 



1,611,817 



43.941 



1 ,655,760 



It may be of interest to some to know how land is acquired for the 

 Adirondack and Catskill Parks. The power to purchase land for this 

 purpose is vested in the Forest Purchasing Board, which in 1908 consisted 

 of the Speaker of the Assembly, the Comptroller, and the Forest, Fish and 

 Game Commissioner. An}' person who owns lands situated in the Adiron- 

 dack or Catskill Parks may apply to this office for blanks on which infor- 

 mation can be submitted in regard to the land thev desire to sell. If the 

 land is situated within the park and the price appears reasonable, the Board 

 will send an inspector to examine and report upon the land offered. The 

 Board is then in a position to act upon the offer. If a price is agreed upon 

 the grantor submits his titles for examination. If the titles are perfect, a 

 certificate of purchase is prepared and then payment is made. 



