from transporting nursery stock from one place to another. Massachusetts, I think, has an appropriation of $200,000 for fighting the gypsy moth. The trouble comes from some one buying nursery stock in Germany or France, and it passes inspection and is planted, and the next year you have the brown tail moth. We had similar trouble last year in bringing in white pine. It is susceptible to a pest that spends the first part of its life history on the gooseberry bush and the rest of it on the white pine. They were examined carefully before planting, but they were affected and they got into our plantations. We destroyed the currant and gooseberry bushes, as they spend the first part of their life on those bushes. Chestnut blight, an absolutely fatal disease, was brought on to Staten Island about four years ago and it spread to Long Island, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania and Maryland. For a time it looked as if in fifteen years every chestnut in the State of New York would be killed. This disease was probably imported from Japan where it exists, but not in the fatal form it has assumed here. I assume you represent several institutions and have different propositions. As the Commissioner suggests, the Department will be glad to co-operate with you in any way in looking over your land, giving advice and supplying trees for planting. We have an application blank to be filled out asking for the trees in which you agree to use them for forestry purposes and not in rows as borders and that you will make a report from time to time when we ask for it. These blanks are now being printed and will be ready for mailing within a week. Mr. WOOD. This address was a delightful surprise to me. I had a sort of a feeling that perhaps he was to tell us how the various boards would be supplied with game for dinners at our institutions. I consider this a very important subject. I have been a student at a forestry school in Germany where the science has attained its greatest height. In the matter of forestry, I have thought of planting white pine on some of our lands. I would like to ask Mr. Pettis if he furnishes hemlocks? Mr. PETTIS.- We will have some in 1911. 610 REPORT OF FISCAL SUPERVISOR OF STATE CHARITIES. Mr. WOOD. The hemlock is the most beautiful evergreen on this earth; while the lumber is not of the value of white pine it is a rapid grower and a tree of great beauty. The example set by the State institutions planting trees will be an influence of good and of education. It will be an exhibit to the community where we are. Just as soon as these trees begin to grow people will see them and make inquiry and then they will go and do likewise. What is the age of the white pine trees you ship? Mr. PETTIS.-It depends upon location; if in open field or pasture land, a two year old is just as good and the transportation is less; if you were to plant in a growth of raspberry bushes you would have to use three year olds. The President announced the membership of the committees of the association as follows: COMMITTEE OF LEGISLATION.- Messrs. Kirkbride, Strong, Lewis, Briggs and Wood. COMMITTEE OF DOMESTIC AFFAIRS.- Mrs. Armstrong, Mrs. Griffith, Messrs. McClary, MacDougall and Cheney. Mr. KIRKBRIDE.- One institution has already made plans for reforestration. I move that it is the opinion of this Conference that the advice of the Commissioner of Forest, Fish and Game be obtained with relation to the question of the reforesting of State lands. Referred to Committee on Domestic Affairs. On motion of Mr. Wood, it was Resolved, That when the Conference adjourns it adjourned subject to call. Mr. MCCARTHY.- I want to thank all for appearing here and I think we will disband with the feeling that we have entered upon a new life and greater possibilities for the future. There being no further business, the Conference, on motion of Mr. Brown, adjourned. MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE COMMITTEE ON Present Hon. FRANKLIN B. KIRKBRIDE, Chairman. Hon. R. C. BRIGGS, Hon. F. PARK LEWIS, M. D., Dr. ROBERT W. HILL, Secretary. Hon. Dennis McCarthy, Fiscal Supervisor of State Charities. Hon. Raymond A. Pearson, State Commissioner of Agriculture. Hon. Alec H. Seymour, Deputy Commissioner of Health. Hon. Fritz Reichmann, Superintendent of Weights and Measures. The committee convened at 2:30 P. M. Dr. Lewis presented the following proposed memorial to the Legislature: To the Honorable the Legislature of the State of New York: "The State Association of Charitable and Reformatory Institutions begs leave to represent that the demands for admission to the various charitable and reformatory institutions and also to the Hospitals for the Insane are constantly increasing and the numbers are already much beyond the capacity of these institutions. It becomes a very serious question as to what the future policy of the State shall be in providing accommodations for these ever increasing numbers. The percentage of dependents and delinquents to the whole population, which would be found under normal conditons, is constantly increased by the numbers coming from foreign lands. In this respect the State of New York is placed at a serious disadvantage because of the fact that the chief entry-port of the nation is within its borders and many who by one means or another pass the immigration inspection are left dependent upon our assistance. "The State has already invested great sums in institutions for the care and improvement of its dependents and delinquents, and the expense of their maintenance is a serious burden upon our taxpayers, although it is cheerfully borne. It becomes an important matter for the State to determine what its future policy shall be, for, necessarily, there must be some limit to the cost of the extension and maintenance of these institutions. "Under these circumstances we respectfully ask the consideration by Your Honorable Body of the necessity of making a thorough investigation of the whole subjects of dependents and delinquents, especially as to the causes producing these conditions, with a view to ascertaining what preventive and remedial measures may be undertaken to lessen the numbers of these unfortunates. This appears to be necessary both for the protection of the taxpayers of the State and for the alleviation of human suffering. To accomplish this purpose we deem it particularly desirable that a State investigation should be made which, if possible, may be more comprehensive and more thorough than can be carried on by any other agency. Respectfully submitted, President, Secretary." On motion of Mr. Briggs, it was Resolved, That a memorial on the subject of the draft just read be prepared and formally submitted to the Legislature. After further discussion and deliberation, on motion of Mr. Wood, the following resolution was adopted: Resolved, That the matter be referred back to the committee for further consideration, and that the memorial to be agreed upon be submitted to the State Board of Charities, the State Commission in Lunacy, the State Commission of Prisons, the State Commissioner of Health, and the Fiscal Supervisor of State Charities, requesting their careful consideration of the proposed memorial, and further requesting them to be represented at a meeting of the committee to be held on the 24th day of February next. The Chairman stated that one of the items referred to a special committee of which President Charles H. Strong of the New York State Training School for Girls was Chairman, was that in relation to the expenses of managers, trustees or officers of State charitable and reformatory institutions; that President Strong had prepared a careful report which fully covered all requirements and that to cover these suggestions, the Attorney-General had approved a form of amendment which in his opinion covers the situation completely and recommends that it go into the State Charities Law as section 52, as follows: "§ 52. A manager, trustee or officer of any State charitable or reformatory institution reporting to the Fiscal Supervisor shall be entitled to actual and necessary traveling expenses but only when attending meetings of the Board at the office of the institution, or visiting the institution pursuant to regulation or resolution of the Board of Managers thereof, or in attendance upon the State Board of Charities or upon the Fiscal Supervisor of State Charities, or upon any other institution, State officer or board, pursuant to a request of said State Board of Charities or said Fiscal Supervisor of State Charities. In addition to the foregoing the manager, trustee or officer of any such institution shall be entitled to any actual and necessary traveling expenses incurred in the performance of his official duty, the estimates for which shall have been approved by the Fiscal Supervisor in accordance with law." On motion of Mr. Wood, it was Resolved, That the proposed amendment to the State Charities Law by adding section 52, with relation to the expenses of managers, trustees or officers of the State charitable and reformatory institutions, be approved by this committee. The Chairman stated the next subject to be discussed was that of co-operation of various departments of the State government having jurisdiction over the State charitable and reformatory institutions. Mr. McCarthy, Fiscal Supervisor of State Charities, stated that it is very desirable to secure co-operation among the various State departments; that the sewage disposal plants should be inspected by the State Department of Health, the farms by the Department. of Agriculture, and the weights and measures by the State Department of Weights and Measures; that in his opinion, legislation. should be enacted making it mandatory upon the several departments to perform these functions. |