342 



FORESTRY IN THE STATES. 



gathered and published a mass of information relative to the 

 forests, and has urged in every practicable way a more conserv- 

 ative use of them. But in the face of all efforts to conserve 

 there was an appalling annual loss occasioned by forest fires. 



In 1905 Governor Stokes in his inaugural address called 

 attention to the situation and was instrumental in securing the 

 passage of an act by which the Forest Commission was created. 

 In the following year a new law dealing with forest fires was 

 enacted. With the establishment of the Forest Commission 

 began an era of active work in forestry. This work has been 

 and is still chiefly directed toward the suppression of forest 

 fires, for, it is believed by those who have the matter in charge, 

 that forest management, tree planting, or sylviculture, of any 

 form will find little justification, or hope of adoption, so long 

 as the forest fires are uncontrolled. 



In 1907 a State Forester was engaged. His work comes 

 chiefly under the following heads: 



1 — Execution and development of forest fire laws. 



2 — Administration of State Forest Reserves and the care 



of an arboreum at New Bruns\Yick. 



3 — Experimental planting. 



4 — Lectures before improvement societies, shade tree com- 



missions and other civic bodies. 



5 — Advice to private o^^oiers, through correspcndence and 



in the fi.eld, as to the management of woodlots, 

 methods of planting, combatting diseases of trees, 

 etc. 



Neiv Jersey has acquired ahout 14,000 acres of land for 

 State Reserves which are heing administered as demonstration 

 areas, or object lessons in forestry. 



About 200 fire wardens are in regular service, all appointed 

 by the governing bodies of the townships or other municipali- 

 ties, and all paid salaries in addition to liberal compensation 

 for services in fighting fires. Mr. Alfred Gaskill, Forester and 

 Secretary of the New Jersey Forest Park Reservation Commis- 

 sion, states in a recent communication: '^We are well satisfied 

 that the policy of paying a small salary, or retainer, to each 

 fire warden though it be but $20 or $10 a year is a good one, 



