Chap. 390.—An ACT to amend and re-enact section 526 of the Code of Vir-
ginia, in relation to forest reserves, as amended by chapter 416 of the acts
of assembly of 1920; and to add a new section to the said Code, to be
designated as section 2495-a, immediately following section 2495, in relation
to the disposition of real estate sold for delinquent taxes and bid in by
treasurers for the benefit of the State, and of certain waste and unappro-
priated lands of the Commonwealth. [H B 102]

Approved March 25, 1930

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That section
Ave hundred and twenty-six of the Code of Virginia, as amended by
chapter four hundred and sixteen of the acts of assembly of nineteen
hundred and twenty, be amended, and that there be added to the Code
of Virginia, a new section to be designated as section twenty-four
hundred and ninety-five-a, immediately following section twenty-four
hundred and ninety-five, all of which shall read as follows:

Section 526. Said commission shall have the power to purchase
lands in the name of the State suitable for State forests, and make and
enforce all rules and regulations governing State forests, the care and
maintenance thereof, the preventing of trespassing thereon, and for the
conduct of its officers, agents, and employees; and it may accept gifts
of land and money to the State for forestry purposes. Such gifts must
be absolute, except that mineral and mining rights over and under land
donated may be reserved by the donors, and that the land shall be ad-
ministered as State forests. The attorney general of the State is di-
rected to see that all deeds to the State lands for the purpose mentioned
above are properly executed before the gift is accepted.

Section 2495-a. When real estate sold for delinquent taxes and
purchased by the Commonwealth is not redeemed by the previous
owner, his heirs or assigns, or some person having the right to charge
the same with a debt, within two years from the date of such pur-
chase, the said real estate shall not be subject to further sale if, the
State commission on conservation and development shall file with the
clerk of the court in the county wherein it is situated an application for
the fee simple title to said real estate and a copy of a report on the same
by the State forester, setting forth his belief that it is chiefly valuable
for forestry purposes and his reasons for such belief. Upon receipt
of the application and report from the State commission on conserva-
tion and development by the clerk, the same procedure shall be followed
as is required under the provisions of section twenty-four hundred and
ninety-five, and acts amendatory thereto, and after all the necessary
action has been taken to protect the interest of the former owner or
any person having the right to redeem the land, the clerk shall prepare
and deliver to the State commission on conservation and development a
deed conveying the same with special warranty of title.

All lands so conveyed shall be without cost to the said commission
except for the usual fees and costs as provided for in section twenty-
four hundred and ninety-five and shall be subject to such laws and
regulations as are now in effect, or which may be enacted later for the
regulation, management, protection and administration of State forests.

After any such lands shall have been so acquired by purchase or
gift by the State commission on conservation and development, there
shall be paid annually by said commission to the counties in which such
lands may lie, respectively, one-fourth of the gross returns therefrom
the amounts so paid to such counties to be applied by the several boards
of supervisors, for such purposes as they may deem most expedient.

Any waste and unappropriated land, other than unappropriatec
marsh or meadow lands lying on the eastern shore of Virginia, as
exempted from entry and grant by the provisions of section four hun.
dred and twenty-one of the Code of Virginia, may be set apart per
manently for use as State forest land, by a grant and proclamatiot
signed by the governor upon the receipt from the State commission o1
conservation and development of an application requesting that <
certain piece, tract or parcel of waste and unappropriated land be s¢
set apart. With the said application the said commission shall submi
a copy of a report from the State forester describing fully the locatiot
of the land, its character and suitability for forestry purposes togethet
with a complete metes and bounds description of the boundary of the
tract and if in the opinion of the governor the land is more valuable
for forestry purposes than for agricultural or any other purposes he
may authorize the secretary of the Commonwealth to prepare a gran
for his signature and the lesser seal of the Commonwealth.

All lands so granted shall be subject to such laws and regulation:
as are now in effect or which may later be enacted for the regulation
management, protection and administration of State forests.