REVIEWS 933 



patrol districts of 400 to 500 thousand acres, which also has more edu- 

 cational value than it promises adequate control. 



While Ix>uisiana is on the right road in forestry, it is only at the 

 start of it. 



B. E. F. 



Forest Fires in Canada, 1^14-16. By T. W. Dwight. Bull. 64, 

 Dominion Forestry Branch, Department of Interior. Ottawa, Canada. 

 1918. Pp.45- 



This bulletin gives summarized description of main forest regions 

 (by provinces), as to precipitation, settlement, facilities of travel for 

 patrolmen, control over railways, character of forests, and character of 

 fire-patrol administration. 



Under "Influence of Weather Conditions," the relationship between 

 temperature and precipitation, on the one hand, with the occurrence and 

 spread of fires, on the other, is discussed. Co-operative weather fore- 

 casting in relation to fire prevention and control comes in for discussion. 



The discussion of causes of fires shows that the permit system of 

 regulating settlers' clearing fires has been remarkably effective in re- 

 ducing losses, wherever enforced. The adoption of this system has 

 spread rapidly in the various provinces. The fire-protective regula- 

 tions of the Dominion Railway Commission have also been notably 

 effective in reducing damage from railway fires on lines under its juris- 

 diction. The Canadian Government railways are not so subject, though 

 a change in this respect is now forecast by the Government. Lightning 

 is the one non-preventable cause of forest fires. Over 90 j)er cent of 

 the fires are due to some form of human carelessness. Campers, set- 

 tlers, and railways are still the chief agencies res|X)nsible for forest 

 fires. .\ significant point is the large number of fires of which the cause 

 is still reported as unknown ; this, of course, is an indication of incom- 

 plete organization and inadequate staff, intensified by war condition--. 

 The statistics of fire losses ciuoted are much more complete as to British 

 Columbia and the prairie provinces than as to the provinces of eastern 

 Canada. 



Tables show for the western jjrovinces and for ( )ntario the patrol 

 staffs maintained, areas patrolled, and peniianent impro\cm('nts con- 

 structed. .\s might be expected,' the most intensive patrol in the west- 

 ern provinces is on Dominion parks, where the average patrol district 

 com])rises from Ko.cxx) to <>o,ooo acres. In British Columbia the aver- 

 age district on provincial laiuk lias increased frotn 4(^),ooo acres in I()I4 



