FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. 25 



collected ranging from fifteen to twenty-five dollars in each case — in most of 

 the instances the latter amount. Some of the parties thus arraigned protested 

 strenuously, urging in extenuation of their offense that the fire was wholly on 

 their own land; that it had not escaped therefrom into any woods or on to the 

 property of any other person, and furthermore, that they had gone to an extra 

 expense to prevent any such occurrence. In reply it was pointed out to them 

 that, while this was readily conceded, there were many others who were not so 

 careful in managing their fires, and that, in prosecuting the latter, no opportunity 

 should be given them to charge that any distinction or alleged favoritism had 

 been made in proceeding against all persons who set fire to their fallows during 

 the close season established by law. 



In connection with this subject ample acknowledgment is due Mr. L. S. Emmons, 

 the Chief Firewarden, for the energetic, fearless work performed by him in prose- 

 cuting violations of the law, and for the efficient service rendered in discharge of 

 all the various duties pertaining to his office. 



Reforestation. 



At the risk of what may seem a useless repetition of former reports, I again 

 call attention to the fact that, owing to the restrictions in the forestry clause of 

 the State Constitution, this Department cannot undertake any scientific work 

 in the line of forest improvement that necessitates the cutting of timber. The 

 woodlands placed under the care and management of the Commission must remain 

 as they are — untouched and unimproved. Our foresters are debarred from doing 

 any work that would increase the productivity of these forests by the cutting of 

 diseased or decaying trees, or by the substitution of merchantable species for 

 worthless ones. Matured trees must be left to fall and become breeding places 

 for destructive insects, while under the clearly expressed mandate of the law no 

 timber can be removed and converted into money, even when it is killed by fire, 

 or where, still green and uninjured, it covers the ground for a thousand acres or 

 more in some windfall. This is not said in any spirit of complaint, or in advocacy 

 of any change in the law ; but rather to account for the absence of any scientific 

 forestry work in the management of the woodlands belonging to the State. Some 

 such explanation seems necessary in view of the thoughtless criticisms that have 

 been made by persons who were evidently unaware that the improved methods 

 of forest treatment suggested by them could not be undertaken lawfully by the 

 Commission. 



Fortunately, the Constitutional restrictions do not interfere with silvicultural 

 operations incidental to the reforesting of denuded lands, and so the Commission 



