Report of the Superintendent of Forests 

 For the year 1909 



Hon. James S. Whipple, Forest, Fish and Game Commissioner: 



Sir. — The first topic to be touched in the yearly report of this Depart- 

 ment of the Commission would, of course, be nothing else than the closing 

 of the service of Col. William F. Fox as State Superintendent of Forests. 

 For twenty-four years Colonel Fox was the guide and guardian of the forestry 

 interests of this State, being Superintendent of Forests since the creation 

 of the office. During that time, New York took the initiative among the 

 states in three important directions — first, in fire protection under public 

 authority; second, in the acquisition of a State forest preserve; third, by 

 the encouragement of tree planting on an extensive scale. In all this 

 advance, Colonel Fox had a most important part. Amidst the eddies and 

 cross currents that swirled around him, he stood quiet and watchful, seizing 

 whatever came within his reach for the benefit of the State's interest in 

 forestry. He grasped firmly the big movement of his day — the acquisi- 

 tion of land by the State — and his judgment in the minor matters con- 

 nected with its acquisition is now being vindicated. His fine personal 

 qualities are best testified to by the fact that he is sincerely mourned by 

 all his subordinates and associates. A more general sketch of his life and 

 services will be found elsewhere in this volume. 



The duties of the office were taken up by his successor in the very 

 last days of June. 



Blister Rust of Pines 



The first matter to engage attention was a disease of white pine in- 

 troduced in the spring on planting stock imported from Germany. White 

 pine is recognized as the most valuable and promising forest tree of the 

 northeastern States and anything that seriously threatens it is of great 



