FISHERIES, GAME AND FORESTS. 



141 



155,504 acres, and the Catskill Preserve, 56,512 acres, making in all a combined 

 acreage in the Forest Preserve, Adirondacks and Catskills of over 1,100,000 acres. 



The preparation of this land list and computation of areas has consumed con- 

 siderable time and involved no small amount of technical work. 



It is the foundation on which the entire landed and forestry work of the Depart- 

 ment is based. The State lands on our Adirondack map, as shown in colored areas, 

 could not be correctly indicated except by the use of this land list. It is the only 

 guide that our foresters have in patrolling the forest and protecting the preserve. 



I would respectfully suggest that this land list be printed as a separate or second 

 volume of the annual report. As the work contains no reading matter or little of 

 interest to the general public, I would respectfully suggest that the edition be limited 

 to such number only as may be necessary for the use of the officials and foresters, 

 with some additional copies for the Comptroller's office, and to supply the demand 

 made by people who own adjacent lands. 



The business connected with the care and maintenance of the State forests has 

 been carried on during the past year with nothing of an unusual character to mark 

 the continuance of the work. Owing to the restrictions of the new State Constitution 

 no effort has been made to accomplish anything in the line of forestry proper, the 

 management of the public woodlands being confined to the routine of police duty and 

 forest preservation. There has been no timber cutting or trespassing other than the 

 petty thefts which are liable to continue on the outlying lands as long as the widely 

 scattered lots outside the park lines are held by the State. There are many of these 

 isolated lots situated at long distances from the main forest, which can not be entirely 

 guarded by the small number of foresters in our employ, their attention being almost 

 wholly occupied in looking after the tracts situated in the main forest. Some of these 

 small outlying lots have cost the State more money for taxes and protection than they 

 would bring if sold to the highest bidder. 



There have been no depredations worth mentioning in the main forest, and these 

 will soon cease entirely when the land purchases now being made or further con- 

 templated shall have consolidated and extended the State holdings in one vast 

 contiguous tract. The suppression of timber stealing and spoliation of the public 

 woodlands is due to the zealous work of the foresters, and the Commission takes 

 pleasure in acknowledging here their activity and efficiency. 



Forest fires still occur in the woodlands of the Adirondack and Catskill counties 

 and other parts of the State, but there have been none of any consequence in the 

 State forests during the past year. The total area of private woodlands burned over 

 is small as compared with former years. This is due largely to the wet weather which 

 prevailed at the time when most of these fires occur. 



