28 FOREST commissioners' REPORT. 



CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS. 



The forest fires of the season of 1908 should drive home to 

 the people of Maine the need of the most thorough protective 

 legislation. The long continued drought of 1908 made condi- 

 tions more than usually difficult, but we have had dry seasons 

 before and shall have them again. The results of this season's 

 work shows that Maine has as good fire laws as any state in the 

 Union. 



It is unnecessary to speak of the value of our forests, they 

 are extensive and valuable, and unless destroyed by fire the 

 danger from a lumber famine is very remote. The wasteful 

 cutting of our spruce is practically a thing of the past and our 

 woodlands will be reforested by nature if proper care is exer- 

 cised in cutting the timber. There is no fear but this will be 

 looked after by the land owners, but if they are to be protected 

 from fire the State must do it. 



Well enforced laws for the protection of our fish and game 

 has made our forests a paradise for sportsmen who are not slow 

 to take advantage of it. During the open season our woods are 

 filled with hunters, who leave in the State hundreds of thou- 

 sands of dollars and give employment to upwards of two thou- 

 sand guides. 



But while they are welcome guests they should not be allowed 

 to enter our forests during a dry and dangerous period and I 

 believe a law should be enacted similar to that recently passed 

 by the state of Vermont, authorizing the Governor to issue a 

 proclamation to prohibit all hunters from entering the woods of 

 the State during an extremely dry time. 



As a further protection I recommend that the close time upon 

 all inland animals, game and game birds be extended to October 

 ist, at least upon the wild lands. 



For some years an effort has been made by the Maine Sports- 

 man Association to have a law enacted prohibiting the taking 



