A r A Tl RE- S TL T D V A ND SCIENCE NO TES 223 



tration of the Forest Service. The working out of a system of effective control 

 of fire on the reserves is still in its infancy. But it is believed that under 

 expert care the injury to the National forests can be rapidly and permanently 

 cut down. The direct loss from forest fires in the United States runs annually 

 into many millions of dollars, while the indirect loss is beyond estimate. 



A constant lookout for fires is kept from ridge trails and commanding points 

 during the danger season, and the reserves are patrolled as efficiently as possible 

 with the force available. Roads, trails, and fire lines are constructed, afford- 

 ing means of rapid communication and points of vantage at which to arrest 

 the progress of a fire, and telephone lines are being run to help give warning 

 and summon assistance. 



Every forest supervisor is authorized, in person or through a subordinate, 

 to hire temporary men, purchase material and supplies, and pay for their trans- 

 portation from place to place to extinguish a fire. When the cost is likely to 

 exceed $300 the supervisor telegraphs the Forester for authority to incur the 

 additional expense. 



During the calendar year ot 1905, 36 of the 93 reserves escaped fires, alto- 

 gether. On the remaining 57, areas were burned over ranging from 1 to 

 79,083 acres (Northern Division of the Sierra Reserve) and amounting to 

 279,592 acres. The largest amount of timber was destroyed on the Lewis 

 and Clark Reserve (Southern Division) — 42,893,000 board feet. The total 

 for all reserves was 152,557,000 board feet, with a value of $101,282, 

 but the greatest loss in money value was $27,320 on the Priest River Reserve. 

 The total cost of extra labor and supplies for fire fighting was $12,573.52. 



The seasons of greatest danger from fire are spring and fall. General 

 co-operation of all coming in contact with the forests is earnestly to be 

 sought, first, to guard sedulouslv against the starting of fires, and, second, 

 to aid in everv way in extinguishing such as occur. [From Press Bulletin 

 of Forest Service.] 



Rabbit Poisoning and Bees. Great havoc has been wrought among 

 bees bv rabbit poisoning in Australia. Not onlv are bees being destroyed, 

 but the native birds are being completely killed out in some districts, with the 

 inevitable result that blowflies and other noxious insects have become serious 

 pests, and it is hard to say where the matter will end. \_Agri cultural 

 Gazette, N. S. IV.~] 



