WEST VIRGINIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 



345 



of ''Land Grrants and Land Patents of Northern 

 New York" by Col. Wm. F. Fox. Passage of a law 

 permitting the sale of spruce and tamarack over 

 twelve inches in diameter in any part of forest 

 preserves. 



1894 — A Constitutional provision in the new Constitution 

 prohibiting the cutting and removal of any trees on 

 state land. 



1895 — Consolidation of Forest Commission and The Fish 

 and Game Commission under the name of "Fish- 

 eries, Game and Forest Commission." Legislative 

 act making it a misdemeanor to set fires to clean 

 land during certain dangerous periods. 



1897 — Organization of a Forest Preserve Board and pur- 

 chase of two million dollars worth of land for an 

 Adirondack Park. 



1901 — Consolidation of Fisheries, Game and Forest Com- 

 mission and Forest Preserves Board under name of 

 Forest, Fish and Game Commission, — the present 

 organization. Improvement of forest fire law by 

 creating the office of Chief Firewarden. 



The above brief outline, omits much that was important in 

 the institution and carrjdng on of the several lines of forestry 

 work from 1883 to the beginning of the present century, and 

 purports to indicate in a general way, only, the policy pursued 

 during this period. It will serve to show, however, the fore- 

 • sight and good business judgment of the promoters of forestry 

 in New York which have proven of inestimable value to every 

 citizen of the Commonwealth in securing the acquisition of 

 large forest preserves and in establishing a practical and exten- 

 sive system of forestry. 



A good beginning at an early date prepared the state for 

 the promptest action at the time of the recent awakening. All 

 the lines of wo^rk carried forward during the last decade can- 

 not be discussed here. The work of the Forestry Department is 

 included, principally, under the following heads: 



