;20 JOURNAL OF FORESTRY 



covering an area of 320,000 acres, and $620,000 damage, over $30,000 

 having been spent on extinction. 



Among the causes we find still 36 per cent due to railroads, a cause 

 which it should be possible, especially now with Federal authority, to 

 eliminate almost entirely. Proportioning unknown causes, which rep- 

 resent nearly 30 per cent of all, the warden estimates that railroads 

 were responsible for 50 per cent, and that altogether 95 per cent could 

 be avoided. 



Protective associations, which elsewhere, especially in the West, have 

 become such efficient factors, are as yet but poorly represented, the 

 State's contribution to their expenses being little over $1,000. 



Both as regards associated effort and protection against railroad fires 

 the experience of Canada is worth studying. 



Legal redress under present laws is difficult to secure ; even the crim- 

 inal law is believed by legal authorities to be inapplicable. 



In the way of preventive measures there seems more reliance placed 

 on patrols than on watch towers. The installation of two such is re- 

 ported, and that without telephone connections, which almost destroys 

 their usefulness, and when it is added that at no time of the year were 

 100 patrolmen engaged and the whole patrol service did not spend 

 $4,200, it is not a hopeful situation. 



B. E. F. 



