Current Literature. 49 



lectures in forestry given in the winter at the University, there 

 being no training school. A school for rangers is recommended. 



As regards reforestation, where natural restocking is not tak- 

 ing place nothing is being done. The policy is to defer this till 

 the forest reserves are blocked up so that fire lines can be con- 

 structed, and the organization is completely systematized. Pri- 

 vate reforestation is encouraged by a tax exemption law, which so 

 far has brought no results. The report contains information re- 

 garding the care of woodlots and planting methods, as well as 

 notes on five species recommended for planting. 



Considerable space is given to a discussion of the fires of 

 1908. Some 1435 fi res were reported burning over 1,209,432 

 acres, and destroying some 500 million feet of merchantable tim- 

 ber worth $3,000,000 and young growth estimated as being worth 

 twice that amount, to say nothing of other property. Over 11,- 

 000 men were employed in fighting these fires at an expense of 

 $100,000. The magnitude of the fires is attributed to slash. An 

 analysis of the causes gave 60% originating from burning brush 

 and clearing, 15% due to sparks from locomotive, and 25% from 

 various causes. 



As a result of these fires the timberland owners appointed a 

 committee to report on advisable measures to adopt for protec- 

 tion. The main recommendations were : ( 1 ) the enlargement of 

 the town fire warden system to a patrol system under the man- 

 agement of the state board of forestry; (2) the imposition by 

 the state of an annual tax of 2 to 2.\ cents per acre on all wild 

 and unimproved lands to constitute a forest fire fund; (3) pro- 

 vision for burning slash and debris ; (4) permission of fire war- 

 den to set fires between April and November. (The committee's 

 report is worth reading in full.) "The cost of 2 to 2.\ cents per 

 acre per annum is a low insurance, the loss from forest fires in 

 1908 alone is over $9,000,000 and this would pay all costs of such 

 a patrol system for nearly fifty years." 



Not only are the lumbermen in sympathy with the aims of the 

 forestry board, but the railroads are cooperating, as is instanced 

 by the fact that many of them arranged for meetings of their 

 employees at which the state forester gave addresses on protect- 

 ing the forests and explained the forestry laws. 



With regard to the taxation of timber lands the state forester 

 4 



