Report of the Forest Commission. 243 



2. Maintain and protect the forests in the forest preserve, and pro- 

 mote as far as practicable the further growth of the forest therein. 



3. Have charge of the public interests of the ^tate with regard to 

 forestry and tree planting, and especially with reference to forest fires 

 in every part of the state. 



4. Possess all the powers relating to the forest preserve which were 

 vested in the commissioners of the land office and in the comptroller 

 on May fifteenth, eighteen hundred and eighty-five. 



5. Prescribe rules and regulations affecting the whole or any part of 

 the forest preserve and for its use, care, and administration, and alter 

 or amend the same; but neither such rules or regulations, nor anything 

 contained in this article, shall prevent or operate to prevent the free use 

 of any road, stream or water as the same may have been heretofore 

 used, or as may be reasonably required in the prosecution of any law- 

 ful bu-dness. 



6. Employ a superintendent, assistant superintendent, two forest 

 inspectors, twelve foresters, and such clerical force and agents as they 

 may deem neces3ary, and fix their compensation; but the expenses and 

 salaries of such employees shall not exceed in the aggregate, with the 

 other expenses of the commission, the sum appropriated therefor by the 

 legislature; and the amount allowed to each forester for salary shall not 

 exceed the sum of seventy-five dollars a month. 



V. Take such measures as in the judgment of the commissioners may 

 be proper, and the state superintendent of public instruction and the 

 regents of the university may approve, for awakening an interest in 

 behalf of forestry in the common schools, academies, and colleges of the 

 state, and of imparting elementary instruction on such subject therein; 

 and prepare and distribute the tracts and circulars of information, giv- 

 ing plain and concise instructions for the care of private woodlands and 

 for tae growth of new forests upon lands that have been denuded, 

 exhausted by cultivation, eroded by torrents, or injured by fire, or that 

 are sandy, marshy, broken, sterile or waste, and unfit for other use. 

 These publications shall be furnished without cost to any citizen of the 

 state on application, and proper measures may be taken for bringing 

 them to the notice of persons who would be benefited thereby. 



8. Cause rules for the prevention and suppression of forest fires to be 

 printed for posting in schoolhouses, inns, sawmills and other wood- 

 working establishments, lumber camps, and other places in such por- 

 tions of the state as they may deem necessary. Forest inspectors, 

 foresters, firewardens, supervisors, and school trustees shall cause these 

 rules, when received by them, to be properly posted and replaced when 

 lost or destroyed. Any person maliciously or wantonly defacing or 



