FOREST, FISH AXD GAME COMMISSIONER. 43 



was built near the north gate. A hydraulic ram was purchased and placed 

 near by, just below the dam on the outlet of Little Clear Pond. From 

 this ram water is forced through a one and one-quarter inch pipe up to a 

 large tank, well housed, and situated on the side of the adjoining hill, 

 forty-tliree feet above the nursery. The tank has a capacity of 5,000 

 gallons. A two-inch main leads from the tank house to the distributing 

 pipes and hydrants in the nursery. With this arrangement a line of hose, 

 with a spray nozzle, can be attached readily to a hydrant, and, whenever 

 it becomes necessary in a dry time, the beds can be sprinkled or showered 

 without any further expense or inconvenience. The paling fence, tool 

 house, and tank house were given two coats of green paint. The stock 

 in the beds is in excellent condition, the plants are in thrifty growth, and 

 the Commission has reason to be well satisfied with the appearance of the 

 nursery. 



3eed Gathering 



The year 1904 was a seed year for white pine in New York, and so 

 arrangements were made for gathering a supply, as this species produces 

 seed only at intervals of four or five years. An examination of the pines in 

 Northern Xew York was made by our foresters last year, when it was found 

 that the little cones, which require two years in maturing, were forming 

 to an extent that indicated a seed year for 1904. As the native red spruce 

 and Norway pine did not bear cones this year the work of seed gathering 

 was confined to white pine. 



Forester Pettis, who was in charge of this work, after a prolonged 

 examination of the pine in various localities, selected the woods in the 

 vicinity of Willsboro, Essex county, as the best held for operations. An 

 agent for some European seed firms was already there with a large force of 

 men and boys engaged in collecting white pine cones. 



Work was commenced early in September, before the scales on the cones 

 had opened, and a supply was gathered between the 6th and 18th of that 

 month. The men and boys employed were paid 30 cents per bushel deliv- 

 ered in sacks at Willsboro, at which price they made very good wages. At 

 the start only 25 cents was paid, but as other parties on the ground were 

 offering 30 cents per bushel, Mr. Pettis was obliged to pay the same. 



