THE PKOGKESS OF FORESTRY IN WISCONSIN 117 



tural land are definitely determined that the owners will begin to seriously 

 consider the protection of the young timber on such lands, and even planting 

 them if this is found necessary. 



FOREST RANGERS 



In addition to cruisers who are employed in examining and valuing the 

 lands and timber which are to be bought or sold, the board has a force of 12 

 forest rangers, who patrol the forest reserves to check the spread of any fire, 

 and who are in charge of all improvement work in their respective districts. 



The Forest Service, under the provision of the Weeks Law, has assisted the 

 state during the past summer in protecting the forests upon the headwaters of 

 navigable streams and 12 Federal patrolmen have been engaged in this work. 

 Most of the rangers and patrols have had crews working under them and 

 after heavy rains, when patroling was not necessary, the work of building 

 roads, fire lines and trails has been pushed as rapidly as possible, and 

 through this work the timberlands, both state and private, are being divided 

 into fairly small blocks, so that any fire can be held to a small area. The 

 great number of lakes and streams within the forest reserve makes it a com- 

 paratively easy task to divide the timberlands into small blocks. 



During the summer of 1911 over 78 miles of main roads w^ere built on 

 state lands and 32 miles on private lands, also 46 miles of fire lines on state 

 lands and 40 miles on private lands. Twenty-five miles of telephone lines 

 were constructed, dangerous slashings were burned on over 1,200 acres, and 

 nearly all the old, dead stubs along the roads and fire lines have been cut. 



Nearly all of the main roads have been built by utilizing old logging 

 railroad grades. It is comparatively easy to remove and burn the old ties 

 and then the grade is plowed and dragged with the result that not only is a 

 good wagon road secured, but also a splendid fire line. Either houses or 

 cabins are being built for all the rangers, and they will all be connected by 

 telephone with the headquarters camp, and the nearest towns, so that in 

 case of fire help can be promptly secured. 



In addition steel look-out towers, from 40 to 60 feet in height, will be 

 built on the highest points, and these towers will all be connected by tele- 

 phone. 



It is expected that most of the rangers will either have saddle horses 

 or railway velocipedes in order to patrol their districts as rapidly as pos- 

 sible. Both the rangers and patrolmen have shown great interest in the 

 work, and it is hoped that within a short time the University of Wisconsin 

 and the forestry board will co-operate in establishing a forest ranger school, 

 so that young woodsmen can be trained both for state work and employment 

 by lumber companies, and large timberland owners as well. 



