FORESTRY 1683

than two years' experience in professional forestry work; his compensa-
tion shall be such as the budget provides, and he shall be allowed reasonable
traveling and field expenses incurred in the performance of his official
duties. He shall be the head of the Department of Forestry of the Univer-
sity of Maryland, and shall under general supervision of the Regents of
the University of Maryland have direction of all forest interests and all
matters pertaining to forestry and the forest reserves within the juris-
diction of the State. He shall appoint, subject to the approval and confirma-
tion of the Regents of the University of Maryland, such assistants and
employees as may be necessary in executing the duties of his office and the
purposes of the Regents. He shall have charge of all Forest Wardens in
the State and aid and direct them in their work; take such action as is
authorized by law to prevent and extinguish forest fires, enforce all laws
pertaining to forest and woodland, and prosecute for any violations of such
laws; collect data relative to forest destruction and conditions; direct the
protection and improvement of State parks and forest reserves and co-
operate with landowners as described in Section 4 of this Article. He shall
annually deliver a course of lectures at the University of Maryland, Col-
lege Park, bearing upon forestry and agriculture, subject to the approval
of the Regents of said University, and as far as his duties as State Forester
will permit, carry on an educational course of lectures on forestry at the
Farmers' Institutes and similar meetings within the State. He shall pre-
pare for the Regents annually a report on the progress and condition of
State Forest work and recommend therein plans for improving the State
system of forest protection, management and replacement.

An. Code, 1924, sec. 3. 1912, sec. 3. 1906, ch. 294. 1914, ch. 823.

3. The State Department of Forestry shall have the power to purchase
lands in the name of the State, suitable for forest culture and reserves,
using for such purposes any special appropriation or any surplus money not
otherwise appropriated, which may be standing to the credit of the Forest
Reserve Fund, and to make all rules and regulations governing State Re-
serves, and to employ such labor and do such work as they deem wise in
developing and protecting State Reserves under their jurisdiction; and
that the Governor of the State is authorized upon the recommendation of
said State Department of Forestry to accept gifts of land to the State, the
same to be held, protected and administered by the State Department of
Forestry as State Forest Reserves, and to be used so as to demonstrate the
practical utility of timber culture, water conservation and as a breeding
place for game. Such gifts must be absolute except for the reservation
of all mineral and mining rights over and under said lands, and a stipula-
tion that they shall be administered as State Forest Reserves, and the
Attorney General of the State is directed to see that all deeds to the State
of lands mentioned above are properly executed before the gift is accepted.

An. Code, 1924, sec. 4. 1912, sec. 4. 1906, ch. 294.

4. The state forester shall upon request, under the sanction of the state
board of forestry, and whenever he deems it essential to the best interests
of the people of the State, co-operate with counties, towns, corporations and
individuals in preparing plans for the protection, management and replace-
ment of trees, wood-lots and timber tracts, under an agreement that the
parties obtaining such assistance pay at least the field expenses, of the men
employed in preparing said plans.