FIRE PROTECTION IN CALIFORNIA 



683 



Only one fire of threatening propor- 

 tions has occurred on the Company's 

 holdings since 1909. This fire, which 

 burned over an area of about IGO acres, 

 was placed under control before much 

 damage was done. A large number of 

 fires have started but they have all been 



smothered in infancy and confined to a 

 fraction of an acre. 



The total cost of protection to the 

 Company for the season of 1913 was 

 $90G.86. This amount prorated over 

 the total acreage gives a protection cost 

 of $0,023 per acre. 



What Is It? 



A FLORIDA MONSTER 



Although the palmetto swamps of 

 Florida harbor moccassins, rattlesnakes 

 and other reptiles, a sight such as is 

 shown in the accompanying ])hotograph 

 is very unusual, and was quite a shock- 

 to the hunter who suddenly came upon 



mvestigation 



this scene. However, 



proved that the enormous reptile was 



quite harmless, being a magnolia tree 



that has grown into this very unusual 



shape. 



