Conservation Commission 25 



began this work, is 12,014,635 trees, which would reforest ap- 

 proximately 12,000 acres. 



The possibilities, and the desirability, of indefinitely enlarging 

 the reforestation work of the State, speak for themselves. 



Within the Forest Preserve itself are 120,000 acres of denuded 

 land, of which only 3,400 acres have been reforested. 



The State has to-day in its nine nurseries (56 acres) 28,000,000 

 trees — about nine million more than last year and twelve million 

 more than in 1911. There will be available for use the coming 

 year 7,000,000 trees, 2,000,000 of which can be planted on State 

 land. Trees sold to private owners were 3,242,200 this year, as 

 against 2,970,910 in 1912 and 1,670,370 in 1911. Trees planted 

 on State lands this year were but 76,000 as against 1,346,500 in 

 1912 and 120,000 in 1911. 



This was due to lack of funds adequate to carry on the work. 

 It is highly important that sufficient appropriations be allowed, 

 as in work of this nature not to progress is to retrogress. A more 

 extended use of convict labor, if permitted, would effect a material 

 economy. 



Taxation of Forest Lands 



Three laws enacted in 1912 essayed to provide more equitable 

 assessment and taxation of forest lands. While a beginning was 

 made, the details and confusion of these several statutes have dis- 

 couraged many applicants from entering their lands for classifi- 

 cation. In all, eight out of nineteen applications for classifica- 

 tion under these laws have been granted. The existing statutes 

 should be perfected and clarified so as better to serve their intent. 



Purchase of Forest Lands 



No appropriation has been made for the purchase of lands 

 within the Forest Preserve since this Commission came into ex- 

 istence. In 1912, and again in 1913, we asked for $25,000, in 

 order that it might be possible to take advantage of offers at 

 prices deemed especially reasonable, but in each instance other 

 demands upon the State's exchequer were held to be more urgent. 



We have at this time an unexpended balance of $62,616.89, 

 which sum, being a reappropriation, has been held to pay for 



