FOREST. FISH AND GAME COMMISSIONER. 1 73 



be widely employed in our own. But, nevertheless, its principle is with 

 us a new one and an attempt at administration of such a law presents 

 aspects both of difficulty and of interest. 



The broad project understood to be held in view by the promoters of 

 this movement — maintenance of the beauty of the Hudson valley, the 

 securing of a great public park in the Highlands, and the construction of a 

 magnificent highway along the river's line, which shall render these advan- 

 tages accessible to vast numbers — is a project that must appeal to pro- 

 gressive and open-minded people, and this background adds responsibility 

 and attractiveness to the work in hand. The immediate problem, how- 

 ever, is the improvement of actual conditions in the district, with the means 

 at hand and under the powers conferred by the law. In that connection, 

 the first inquiry is, what the law means and of what the powers conferred 

 consist. 



The law provides that " within the boundaries described " on " both 

 public and such private lands as are suitable for the growth of timber only " 

 the commission shall " preserve, care for, lay out and improve " the reserva- 

 tion and " superintend and control the cutting of timber," to the " end 

 that the forest and timber upon such lands shall be protected and the 

 growth thereof encouraged." It is also stated that these lands are " to 

 be managed and controlled after the method of modern forestry." 



One duty imposed by the law, and indeed a general obligation recog- 

 nized wherever the Commission has authority, is the prevention, to the 

 utmost possible extent, of forest fires. For this purpose the district will 

 be carefully organized next year and for this purpose the Commission will 

 likely be asking more specific power. When it comes to the superintendence 

 and control of the cutting of timber and to managing and controlling 

 lands " after the method of modern forestry " the actual course to be 

 pursued is by no means so clear. The owner has to be considered, with his 

 wishes, his financial necessities and above all his traditional freedom in 

 the management of his own property. What is meant by the phrase 

 " method of modern forestry ' : is a further question. Some, indeed, 

 connected with this particular movement have seemed to think that it is all 

 embodied in the prevention of clean cutting and have seemed to think that 

 the Commission would at once put a stop to the cordwood business that 



