FOREST commissioner's REPORT. 15 



to see its ruined forests? It is anything but inviting to roam 

 over tracts of forest devastated by fire. A careful examina- 

 tion of all the facts will lead any one to conclude that no fire is 

 so injurious to our State as a forest fire. It is confidently 

 asserted that many forest fires are set so that the young 

 sprouts that may come up from the roots of trees thus 

 destroyed will attract deer to the spot where the}' may be 

 slaughtered. Such wanton destruction of property seems 

 hardly credible. Another class of forest fires are set so that 

 the burnt district will produce blueberries, as that is known 

 in some localities to be the result. 



Early in the season circulars were sent out to selectmen 

 and county commissioners calling their attention to the law 

 and their duties under it. Notices were printed as called for 

 in the law and sent to those places where needed or called for. 

 A circular was sent to county commissioners, selectmen, fire 

 wardens and land owners containing a list of questions which 

 they were requested to answer. A few answers were received 

 that are contained in the "tables of returns of fire wardens." 

 A very large majority made no return whatever. 



Section four of the law creating a "Forest Commission and 

 for the Protection of Forests" reads as follows: "County 

 Commissioners of each County in which there are unorganized 

 places shall annually appoint, when they deem it necessary, 

 such number of fire wardens as they deem necessary not 

 exceeding ten," etc., etc. This act leaves it with the county 

 commissioners to exercise their own judgment in the matter. 

 It may be thought best to make it mandatory so that each 

 county may have the benefit of whatever protection the 

 wardens may afibrd. There are eight counties with "unor- 

 ganized places" in them, viz : Aroostook, Franklin, Hancock, 

 Oxford, Penobscot, Piscataquis, Somerset and Washington. 

 Wardens were appointed as follows, viz : 



Aroostook County — John Dunbar, No. 7, R. 8 ; Avon 

 D. Weeks, Smyrna ; Geo. L. Byron, Linneus ; E. R. McKay, 

 Ashland ; Haws, Ashland ; Neal McClain, Ft. Frances ; John 



