REVIEWS 



Annual Report of the Department of Conservation and Development 

 of the State of New Jersey for the Year Ending October ji, ipiy- 

 Union Hill, N. J. 1918. Pp. 141. 



This report deals with a great variety of subjects, the department 

 being a consolidation of a number of State commissions, the State 

 Forester, Mr. Alfred Gaskill, being also Director for the Board of 

 Conservation and Development and transmitting the report to the 

 Governor. 



Taking up the section devoted to the report of the State Fire War- 

 den, on 33 pages, with ample tabulations, we find that in the direction 

 of protecting the two million acres (nearly) of forest area success is 

 only very partial. A table recording fires for seven years before a fire 

 service was organized and for eleven years after organization allows 

 ready comparison. Striking is the very considerable increase in num- 

 ber of fires during the latter period, which may, to be sure, be due to 

 more careful reporting. While during the first period (incompletely 

 reported) the number of fires remained considerably below 100, in the 

 last eleven years the average was over 600 and in the last year 871 ; but 

 the acreage burned over is nearl}' the same in both cases, around 70,000 

 acres, in the last year over 92,000 acres. The losses, however, are 

 figured only little less than $80,000, as against $500,000 without pro- 

 tection. A good idea is used in the tabulation by reporting "embryo" 

 fires separately (those burning over less than 5 acres). The cost of 

 extinguishing fires is stated as below $12,000, paid in nearly equal parts 

 by State, townships, and ofifenders. 



The organization of the service consists of 5 State fire wardens, 145 

 township fire wardens, 186 district fire wardens, 9 patrolmen, and 3 

 lookouts. 



The lookout system seems not yet fully developed. Lack of funds 

 is responsible for this deficiency, some $20,000 being devoted to this 

 fire service, in addition to a $2,000 contribution by the Federal Govern- 

 ment, and around $8,000 for the State Forester's office. 



Hopeful words are used regarding the improvement in forest condi- 

 tions and the application of silviculture in proportion to the increase in 

 .safety from fire and to the advice given to woodlot owners ; but the 

 State Forester, being charged to propose plans for utilizing undevel- 

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