Documentary History of the State of New York, Vol. I
One of the methods already thought of for making this Province more useful as to Naval Stores, is a severe prohibition of cutting any white Pines fit for Masts, No doubt the destroying of so necessary a commodity ought to be prevented & it would be difficult to frame a Law for that end with many exceptions or Limitations which could be of much use on the other hand when the literal Breach of the
Law becomes generally unavoidable it must loose its force,
The Lands of this Province are
granted upon condition that the Grantee within three years after the Grant effectually cultivate three acres for every fifty granted & it will not be supposed that it is the intent of the
Law to put a stop
to cultivating the Land which however cannot be done without destroying the Timber that grows upon it One at first is ready to fear that the poor Planter is under a sad Dilemma. If he does not cultivate he cannot maintain his family & he must loose his Land if he does cultivate, he cuts down The Inhabitants cannot Trees, for which he is in danger of being undone by prosecution & fines It cannot build Houses without pine for boards & covering, nor send Vessels to sea without masts. ;
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Neither the Pitch Pine nor White Pine are properly Pines according to the Botanists but are put by them under the Pine being called bv Tourncfo'irt Larix orientalis fructu rotundiori obtuso & by J Bonhim.