Report of the Forest Commission. 219 



ber trees, the owner or owners of any land in this commonwealth planted 

 with forest or timber trees in number not less than twelve hundred to 

 the acre, shall, on making due proof thereof, be entitled to receive annu- 

 ally from the commissioners of their respective counties, during the 

 period that the said trees are maintained in tound condition upon the 

 said land, the following sums of money: 



For a period of ten years after the land has been so planted, a sum 

 equal to ninety per centum of all the taxes annually assess ^d and paid 

 upon the said land, or so much of the said ninety per centum as shall 

 not exceed the sum of forty-five cents per acre; 



For a second period of ten years, a sum equal to eighty per centum of 

 the said taxes, or so much of the said eighty per centum as shall not 

 exceed the sum of forty cents per acre; 



For a third and final period of ten years a sum equal to fifty per 

 centum of the said taxes, or so much of the said fifty per centum as 

 shall not exceed the sum of twenty-five cents per acre: 



Provided, That it shall be lawful for the owner or owners of the said 

 land, after the same has been so planted for at least ten years, to thin 

 out and reduce the number of trees growing thereon to not less than 

 six hundred to the acre, so long as no portion of the said lands shall be 

 absoutely cleared of the said trees : 



And provided also, That the benefits of this act shall not be extended 

 to nurserymen or others growing trees for sale for future planting. 



§ 2. The owner or owners of forest or timber land in this common- 

 wealth, which has been so cleared of merchantable timber, who shall, 

 within one year after the said land has been so cleared, have given 

 notice to the commissioners of their respective counties that the said 

 land is to be maintained in timber, and who shall maintain upon the 

 said land young forest or timber trees in sound condition, in number at 

 least twelve hundred to the acre, shall, on making due proof thereof, be 

 entitled to receive annually from the commissioners of their respective 

 counties the sums of money mentioned in the first section of this act: 

 Provided, That the first period of ten years shall be counted from the 

 time that the said land has been cleared of merchantable timber, and 

 that after the said first period of ten years the number of trees upon the 

 said land may be reduced as in the said first section is provided. 



§ 3. Any person or persons who shall willfully or carelessly cut bark 

 from or otherwise cut, burn or injure any trte, plant, shrub or sprout 

 planted, growing or being on any land in this commonwealth without 

 the consent of the owner or owners thereof first had and obtained, or 



