Current Literature. 79 



marking the eastern boundary. To other reserves, temporary 

 reservations aggregating 486 square miles have been added. 

 Forest nurseries have been estabhshed on three reserves, but with 

 indifferent success owing to the work being delegated to untrained 

 men. Two more reserves have been put in charge of permanent 

 forest rangers. Some of the reserves have also been made game 

 reserves and the running of dogs at large in federal parks has 

 been prohibited — measures that have the hearty support of the 

 people. Over 700 head of buffalo now graze within the parks. 



All other work on the reserves has wisely been held subservient 

 to that of fire protection. To this end 91 miles of boundary lines 

 of prairie reserves were burned before the snow was out of the 

 woods. In addition, guards were ploughed 8 feet wide (in some 

 places a double guard 4 feet wide with a rod strip between) for 

 a total of 37 miles ; railway companies did likewise to the extent 

 of 21 miles; the average cost was $7 per mile. Roads were made 

 along 200 miles of boundary, these averaging 9 feet in width 

 (ultimately to be 16 feet), at an average cost of $13. These 

 serve for transportation to fires, for back firing and for the getting 

 out of timber by settlers. Old roads within some of the reserves 

 were also cleaned up and 11 miles of new road, 16 feet wide, were 

 built at a cost of $21 per mile. 



Besides this protective work the patrol system was extended, 

 employing 96 men. Special attention was given to patrol along 

 railways and construction lines, with good results. 



There were taken off the reserves during the year some 2y 

 million feet of lumber. Of this, 4 million feet, besides poles, rails, 

 posts and cordwood, were cut under settlers' permits, giving 

 returns of some $6,300. The balance was cut under old timber 

 licenses. Timber seizures to the value of $3,000 attest to the 

 activity of the forest rangers in stopping trespass. As a further 

 preventive 408 miles of boundary were plainly marked with 

 iron posts. 



The removal of hay from the reserves is encouraged. There 

 were issued 84 permits netting $197, under which 1,500 tons were 

 cut. So far, grazing has in no way been regulated on the 

 reserves, but already certain districts are calling for such regula- 

 tion. Throughout, the forestry branch evidently believes that the 

 reserves are for the judicious use of the people. 



The work of the Division of Tree Planting on the prairies, now 



