206 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



From clearing land :. 161 



Locomotives -. 43 



Hunters - 59 



Smokers 3 



Indians -. 1 



We have striugent laws for game protection, yet our forests which shelter 

 the animals are of far greater moment. Mr. Hill's suggestions concerning 

 needed legislation succinctly stated are : 



First, A provision making the supervisor of each township fire warden of 

 his township, and defining his powers and duties and fixing a fair rate of 

 compensation for his services ; 



Second, A provision substantially the same as section 1, chapter 328, Com- 

 piled Laws, which provides that every person who shall willfully or negli- 

 gently set tire to any woods, prairies or grounds not his own propj^rty, or 

 willfully or negligently permit any fire to pass from his own woods, prairies 

 or grounds to the injury or destruction of the property of any other person 

 shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor punishable with fine or imprison- 

 ment, or both, the party injured to have double damages for the injuries sus- 

 tained ; 



TJiird, A prohibition against the building of fires by persons clearing land 

 during the period from April first to November first in each year without the 

 consent of the fire warden in writing, with previous notice to owners or occu- 

 pants of adjoining lands; 



Fourth, Provisions as to railroad companies, requiring them to keep their 

 right of vray clean of dead herbage and other combustible material, and com- 

 pelling any railroad company, upon the written request of any fire warden 

 through whose jurisdiction its road passes, in time of danger, to burn coal 

 instead of wood for locomotive fuel, and to employ a corps of men to be 

 known and to act as a "fire patrol," whose special duty it shall be to p:event 

 fires in and along the right of way, and to suppress fires originating in the 

 right of way, and compelling the companies at all times to use extreme dili- 

 gence in preventing and suppressing fires kindled by the companies, their 

 agents and employes. 



Upon this general subject B. E. Fernow, of "Washington, D. C, presented 

 his views. To dispel ignorance should be the first object of legislation. 

 Hence the necessity of a careful canvass of forest resources provided for by 

 the State, and development of the lines of manufacture which demand 

 timber of certain kinds. The disastrous results of ruthless forest destruction 

 in other lands ought to have its influence upon us in framing laws which 

 should either prevent a like destruction, or create in place of that which is 

 elided, a growth which in itself would modify the results of man's destruc- 

 tive work, when looking simply to immediate accumulation of property. 



Mr. Fernow said that sijecial legislation, then, which is the strong 

 expression of the interests of the community, is needed for forests and forest 

 property, can admit of no doubt. The forest legislation which is needed in 

 Michigan, as well as most other States, must be directed, first, to a better pro- 

 tection of the forest property as long as it may last, which we have from 

 nature's kind hands; secondly, protection of the future crop, as far as nature 

 has kindly restored it, or man has planted it; thirdly, it is to provide and 

 make accessible such information as will enable the people to utilize tlieir 

 forest growth to better advantage, will enable them to see the necessity for 

 reforestation in certain places, and the desirability in others, furnish the 



