FOUEST COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. 159 



desirable species, it seems to me would be considerable. Such 

 a measure, of course, would involve the traininir of woods- 

 men . 



There is another way in which this characteristic ,>,.otection 

 stand of timber should be considered. That is in "»'^"^^^ ^''^■ 

 relation to fire. Hard wood or mixed land is not nearly so 

 liable to destruction by that means as is predominant spruce 

 growth, and that fact has a bearin<r in two directions. In the 

 first place it increases the value proportionately of hard wood 

 Luid, and in the second place it shows us that that kind of 

 land scattered throuch a countrj' serves the purpose of fire 

 protection. Its use in that way, it seems to me, is in the 

 future likely to be taken advantage of and extended. Care- 

 ful study of the lay of hard wood ridges and streams might 

 show us how, aided by the laying out of lines of road or other 

 belts on which fire could be fought to advantage, a region 

 could be broken up into sections wnth fire-proof lines between. 

 Another measure in the same direction would ])e the breaking 

 up of the area cut over on a tract. When men start to cut 

 over a township, the usual })ractice now is to begin at one 

 point and extend the cut in one Iwd}' from that center, so 

 that, the old choppings being particularly liable to fire, fire if 

 once started burns through a large area. Now against the 

 majority of fires, virgin timberland of whatever nature is 

 proof. W, then, the cut-over area instead of being in one 

 body were broken up into several, a single fire once started 

 would mean probably but little damage in comparison. The 

 principle involved here is one well established in European 

 forestry. There, of course, it can be applied on a much finer 

 scale. 



All through northern and eastern Maine are con- j^^^^.^ 

 sideral)le areas of land cleared by the glacier of all f^''^^^^'^- 

 movable material, or on which it left only a la^'er of boulders. 

 Here, however, we find to-day in most cases a growth of 

 timber. The weathering of centuries has served to wear 

 something in the way of soil from all but the most refractory 

 rocks. The decay of moss, leaves and wood has served to 



