96 REPORT OF THE FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. 



natural crop would not exceed in quantity more than one-fourth of the planted 

 crop, and, hence, a comparative statement may be made as follows: 

 Land at $3 per acre, compounded at 4 per cent for 80 years, 

 Taxes and interest for 80 years, -..-.- 



Fire protection at 10 cents per year, compounded at 4 per cent. 



- ^ 



^69 



15 





27 



31 





54 



62 



$: 



[51 



08 



The following income may be expected : 



At 50 years $10, which compounded at 4 per cent for 30 years 



becomes, ----------- ^32 43 



At 80 years, timber cutting, ------- 62 50 



Value of land, ---------- 3 00 



Total, - - - - $97 93 



This indicates that the land, if left to natural conditions, would not earn enough 

 to pay four per cent on a small valuation, together with taxes and fire protection. 



That the possibilities of increasing the value of forest land are very great is 

 shown by the experience of the German States. Dr. Fernow shows that the 

 several governments expended on an average $1.66 per acre per year on their forest 

 property ; and that they obtain thereby a gross income of $3.47 per acre, with a 

 net revenue of $1.81 per acre per year. 



Considering the $1.81 as the interest on the value of the forest lands, and using 

 three per cent as the customary rate for large investments, these figures show that 

 by proper management the German States maintain their poorest lands at a capital 

 value of over $60 per acre. In other words, the forests pay $19,000,000 for labor 

 and taxes ; and, in addition, pay three per cent interest on a valuation of $60 per 

 acre. A large part of this land if deforested would not support a farmer, and 

 would rapidly degenerate into mountain pasture or heath which at best could not 

 be sold for over $5 per acre. 



Applying these figures to the State of New York, we find that there are in round 

 numbers 1,400,000 acres now owned by the State in the Forest Preserve which do 

 not pay anything, even towards the cost of protecting these woodlands. The facts 

 set forth here in relation to the work done on the Girard estate will give some idea 

 of the immense revenues which the State of New York may derive in time from its 

 forests by the cultivation of wild lands, and by working the entire acreage up to 

 the maximum of production. 



