FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. WJ 



I here wish to call your attention to the important services rendered by- 

 Mr. L. S. Emmons, the Chief Firewarden of the Commission. During the fires 

 last spring he was on the ground every day from first to last, assisting the wardens 

 in organizing working parties, and, at times, superintending the men personally. 

 When this work was finished he devoted his time to the prosecution of persons 

 who had violated sections of the Fire Law, after which he returned to the Albany 

 office, where he has been busily engaged in the adjustment of the accounts between 

 the various towns and the State. 



I also desire to acknowledge the valuable assistance received from Foresters 

 Knechtel and Pettis, each of whom worked faithfully during the critical period 

 of the fires. Through the energetic care and activity of Mr. Pettis the extensive 

 plantation of seedling trees at Lake Clear Junction was saved from destruction. 

 With a party of men he stopped a dangerous fire that burned its way to the edge 

 of the plantation and extinguished it there before any loss was sustained, except 

 on a small area of planted ground along the border. Forester Knechtel also 

 rendered valuable assistance in the tabulation of the statistics in the 643 reports 

 received from the firewardens, and in preparing for future reference a practical 

 digest of other information, which also appears in these returns. 



Animal Forest Product. 



As customary in my previous reports, I also submit here, for your informa- 

 tion, the yearly statement, showing the extent of the timber cutting in the 

 Adirondack and Catskill forests and the amount of the product. The statistics 

 given are for the year 1902, as the returns for the current year are never 

 obtainable in time for my annual report. 



A tabulation of the returns made to this office from each sawmill, pulp-mill, 

 acid factory, cooperage plant and wood-consuming industry, drawing its supply 

 of raw material from the Adirondack forest, shows the following output: 



ADIRONDACK FOREST. 



Feet B. M. 



Spruce 148,859,311 



Hemlock 60,177,715 



Pine 40,218,643 



Hardwood 34,851,571 



Pulp-wood (461,806 cords) 253,531,494 



Wood for chemicals, cooperage, etc 34,383,870 



Total 572,022,604 



