34 EIGHTH REPORT OF THE 



To the foregoing, the total Forest Preserve, must be added the acreage 

 acquired in 1902, which is computed to be as follows: 



Acres. 



Tax sale of 1900 15,513 



Purchases in 1902 . 13,150 



28,663 

 Less redemptions 158 



Total 



2»,5°5 



Adding the latter amount to the acreage reported one year ago, the total 

 acreage of the Forest Preserve on January 1, 1903, will be 1,436,686 acres. 



Although the time for redemption of non-resident lands from the tax sale of 

 1900 expired in December, 1901, certain other lands, on which there may be a 

 so-called occupancy, are entitled to a longer period of grace, and may be redeemed 

 at any time within the six months following the service of the Comptroller's 

 notice on the occupants. As the agents of the Comptroller served these notices 

 last September and October, the title of the State to these parcels cannot be 

 perfected until April, 1903, or thereabouts, the exact time varying with each lot 

 according to the date when the agent filed his return, or affidavit of notice, in 

 the office of the Comptroller at Albany. This leaves the exact acreage of the 

 Forest Preserve somewhat in doubt just now, as there will still be numerous 

 redemptions made under this provision of the law, amounting, perhaps, to 2,000 

 acres or more. 



The total acreage just shown does not include the State lands in the towns of 

 Altona and Dannemora, Clinton County, which are excepted in the law defining 

 the Forest Preserve. These tracts, which were reserved for the use of the 

 Dannemora Prison, contain 14,347 acres, and should be included in the Forest 

 Preserve, even if the amendment making the necessary transfer contains some 

 proviso that the care and custody of these forests shall remain in the Prison 

 Department. The lands in the International Park, situated on the St. Lawrence 

 River, in Jefferson and St. Lawrence Counties, are also omitted in computing 

 the area of the Forest Preserve, although this property is placed by law under 

 the care and management of the Forest Commission. 



In my report, one year ago, I submitted a tabulation showing the classified 

 acreage of the Adirondack Park as based on the returns of Foresters Bryant and 

 Williams, who made a personal examination of all the townships included within 



