WEST VIRGINIA GEOLOGICxVL ' SURVEY. 



329 



1 — Growing and distribution of shade tree nursery stock. 



2 — Supervision of state forest lands. 



3 — Formulation of a policy for control of forest fires and 



recommendation of fire wardens for appointment by 

 the Governor. 



In actual practice, but little action has been taken in com- 

 pliance with the provisions of the new law. The passage of the 

 law, however, is a step in the direction of conservation and 

 makes possible the operation of an effective forestry system. 



INDIANA. 



The forestry work of Indiana is in charge of a State Board 

 of Forestry created by an act of the General Assembly ap- 

 proved on March 1st, 1901. The secretary of the Board is state 

 forester and as such devotes his time exclusively to forestry 

 matters. A sufficient amount is appropriated to cover salary 

 and traveling expenses of the secretary and the salary of a 

 clerk employed in his office at Indianapolis. 



The work of the Board is varied, including among other 

 things, co-operation in forestry work with individuals and cor- 

 porations; management of the state- forest reservation; advice 

 through correspondence and personal visits to owners of wood- 

 land; collection and publication of information relative to gen- 

 eral forestry conditions in the state. 



An act of the Assembly authorizing the State Board of 

 Forestry to purchase 2^000 acres for "a state forest reserva- 

 tion, laboratory of forestry demonstration and state nursery" 

 was passed in 1903. Under authority of this act the Board 

 purchased a suitable tract in Clark county and at once placed 

 the same under scientific management. A number of plantings 

 have been made on the reservation for the purpose of demon- 

 strating to the farmers and other planters of the state the value 

 of a careful observance of soil adaptation, pruning, cultivation, 

 rate of growth, spacing, and insect enemies of each species of 

 tree, and for the purpose, also, of determining the most valua- 

 ble trees and the best methods of propagation to be used in 

 Indiana. Tests have been made, or are now under way, of such 

 species as ash, poplar, oak, hickory, black walnut, white elm, 



