tion stricken from the statute books, and even better legislation enacted than they had previously to protect not only their deer but the sportsmen as well. BOUNTY WORK.-Our work in the payment of bounties during the past year has shown that the present system is probably the best all-round system for the payment of bounties in use anywhere in the United States, While it may be true that to a certain extent carnivora of various species are necessary to maintain the balance of nature, still in Pennsylvania the sportsmen hold that the balance of nature has long since been disturbed by men and it is up to men to hold in check the things that do not have natural enemies sufficient to keep them within reasonable bounds. We paid bounties last year, June 1st to May 31st, on 320 wild cats, 4,718 gray foxes, 2,408 red foxes, 2,270 mink, 48,885 weasels, amounting to $113,802. GAME PRESERVE WORK.-As previously stated, we now have in Pennsylvania 24 Game Preserves. Through good house-keeping the Board of Game Commissioners accumulated a little nest egg in the State Treasury which has given the sportsmen more or less concern. The Department wisely was expanding gradually and for that reason the funds referred to accumulated with the result that the sportsmen agreed among themselves that the best thing to do would be to purchase tracts of from 5,000 to 8,000 acres in sections where the State Forestry Department does not own lands, and create on the centre of such tracts one of our State Game Preserves, leaving the balance open to hunting for all time. One hundred thousand dollars was appropriated for this purpose to cover lands contracted for during the first year, and $50,000 per year thereafter if there are sufficient funds to permit the expenditure of this amount in that direction. I am glad to say that we have matters in shape so that we hope to establish probably 10 new Game Preserves this year in widely scattered portions of the State where there are now no State lands, the purpose being to start the work in the hope that later on the Department of Forestry will be in a position to purchase large areas of wild land surrounding the tracts purchased by the sportsmen. As you are no doubt aware each one of the present game sanctuaries consists of approximately 2,500 to 3,000 acres of wild land, surrounded with a single wire about waist high to the average man, and a fire line upon which fires may be met and extinguished, also a line of notices calling the attention of the people of the State to the purpose of the enclosure. The officer in charge works continuously to improve game conditions, and each of these sanctuaries is undoubtedly doing a work in the territory where located that could not be done in any other way. As an evidence of the enormous increase of wild life under favorable conditions I cite the situation surrounding our Mont Alto game preserve, the third sanctuary of this kind to be established in the State, which was done largely at the instance of the former Commissioner of Forestry, Dr. Rothrock, one of the leaders in the Pennsylvania Forestry Association since its conception. When the Mont Alto Game Preserve was established in the winter of 1906-'07 the deer were practically exterminated in nearly all the surrounding country. Only 4 deer were killed in that surrounding territory the previous season. Twenty-five deer were stocked, 22 does and 3 bucks, and they gradually increased and spread out until last hunting season more than 425 legal male deer were killed in the territory over which the increase has spread from the Mont Alto preserve, some of these animals now being found as much as 40 miles away from the place where originally released. STOCKING OF GAME.-The Department makes a special effort to secure all the desirable birds and animals for stocking purposes that can be obtained at a reasonable price, although wild birds and animals cannot be purchased in carload lots as you would lumber or coal, and we are of the opinion that our first duty is to protect and increase our native birds and animals. To bring back to the fauna of the State one of the animals that originally existed here we have recently introduced a number of colonies of beaver, which bear every evidence of being a success throughout. Our purpose is to establish at least one colony at every Game Preserve where we have suitable water, feeling certain that through the dams built by these animals they will help to conserve the flow of water, improve fishing conditions, etc., and after awhile the Legislature will, no doubt, see its way clear to permit the taking of a reasonable number of these animals each year under special permit, which will add a very material asset to our wild life resources. Before concluding my address I want to assure you that the sportsmen of Pennsylvania are interested in the work being done by the Pennsylvania Forestry Association and are ready to assist any organization or department interested in any phase of conservation, and so long as they receive active support in their efforts they will be a most vital factor in the conservation movement in Pennsylvania as well as other States of the Union. The Washington Furnace Tract, Clinton County, Pa. T HE Washington Furnace forest of 14,000 acres, lies along the mountain range running in a southwesterly direction from Williamsport. It covers a portion of four of the mountains which enclose three valleys, Rag Valley, Cherry Valley and Bear Valley, each of which drains into the Fishing Creek. This stream, rising near Loganton, flows through Sugar Valley and cuts through the mountains forming what are locally known as "the Narrows." It then flows through the lower end of Nittanny Valley, cuts through the mountains near Mill Hall and empties into the Susquehanna River at Lock Haven. The original forest was of pine, hemlock and various hardwoods, the characteristic forest of central Pennsylvania. Two samples of this old forest, each of a few acres, are still standing in Sugar Valley. The forest was originally cut to supply charcoal for the Washington Furnace. All through the tract are to be found the old hearths where the charcoal was made, all kinds of wood being coaled to make the charcoal. After the closing down of the furnace some time before the Civil War, the forest grew and developed until about 25 years ago when it was lumbered over, the trees being removed down to a diameter limit of 8 inches on the stump. The trees left have grown and scattered their seed so that the present stands are of uneven age, being composed of the trees left at the time of the logging and the reproduction that has come in during successive seed years. The forest is fortunate in not having been burned over in recent years, so that there is a wonderful stocking of young trees. The stands vary in different parts from pure pine or hemlock to various mixtures of these trees with the many kinds of hardwoods. Four pines are found on the tract. The white pine occurs throughout the forest. It has seeded in under the older trees and if left undisturbed the forest would rapidly revert to the original mixture, in which white pine predominated. Pitch pine is found on higher and drier situations, but is not a common tree. Jersey scrub pine is found on the open lands along the Fishing Creek, sometimes forming fairly dense patches. Table Mountain pine is found in all parts of the forest, but especially on Cherry Mountain, where it was able to gain a foothold at a time when the other trees were not able to seed in because of poor conditions of seed-bed, probably due to fire. On the bottom land, near the mouth of Cherry Run the Table Mountain pine has grown under forest conditions, there being a dense stand of this tree about 60 years old, covering nearly 10 acres. The trees in this stand vary from 6 to 10 inches in diameter and are from 40 to 50 feet in height. Because the forest has not been burned or lumbered during recent years and due to the seed trees that were left at the time of the last cutting, this forest is better stocked with young trees than most of the young forests of Pennsylvania. It is such young, vigorously growing forests as this one that should be placed under forest management and be protected for the purpose of growing a future supply of large timber. The forest is a famous one among hunters and fishermen. It is known as wild turkey country, but many bear and deer are also gotten every winter. Fishing Creek has been one of the famous trout streams of the State. It has been regularly stocked with young trout from the neighboring State Fish Hatchery near Bellefonte, so that every spring it still attracts fishermen from many parts of the State. The drive along the Fishing Creek is one of the most beautiful and popular in central Pennsylvania. The cutting of Fishing Creek through the mountains gives the appearance of a very rugged and broken country. J. A. Ferguson. The Pennsylvania Department of Forestry has had metal signs prepared which will be erected on State Forests at such points as they can be easily read. The background is of green with white letters. Along railroads the size will be 8 ft. x 10 ft., and on much traveled auto roads 5 ft. x 8 ft., and will bear the inscription: PENNSYLVANIA STATE FOREST Please Be Careful Along less traveled roads the signs will be 21⁄2 ft. x 6 ft. and read: PENNSYLVANIA STATE FOREST You Are Welcome Be Careful With Fire On recently burned areas signs of the same size will have the inscription: Carelessness Destroyed This Forest Be Careful With Fire |