News and Notes. in 



application for this material are furnished with a blank on which 

 they are to note the topography, original growth, present growth, 

 previous use of land, and kind of soil on the areas which are to 

 be planted. In consideration of receiving the trees specified, 

 the applicant agrees : 



1. To pay the purchase price of the trees to said Forest, Fish, 

 and Game Commission within ten days after the granting of this 

 application. 



2. That the trees hereby applied for shall be used by the under- 

 signed for the sole purpose of reforesting lands within the State 

 of New York. 



3. That the said trees shall not be sold, offered for sale, or 

 given away by the said applicant, or his agents, to any person. 



4. That the said trees shall be planted in accordance with in- 

 structions furnished by the Forest, Fish, and Game Commission. 



5. That the applicant shall furnish the Forest, Fish, and Game 

 Commission from time to time, when asked for, reports in re- 

 gard to the condition of such plantings. 



Since the State of New York has an organization for the con- 

 trol of forest fires in the Adirondacks and Catskills, there have 

 been two periods, namely, 1903 and 1908, when forest fires were 

 very prevalent and the losses heavy. The period of drought in 

 1908 was more severe and considerably longer than in 1903, 

 thereby making the fire danger much greater and producing the 

 most favorable conditions for conflagrations ever known in the 

 Adirondack region. The following comparative statement shows 

 that although conditions were much worse in 1908, the acreage 

 burned over was less than one-fifth of that in 1903, the loss one- 

 third less, and the cost $15,000 less. In view of these results, the 

 logical conclusion is that the fire wardens were better organized 

 and more efficient last year than they were five years previously : 



Number of fires, 



Acres of timberland burned, 

 Acres of wasteland burned, 



500,518 177400 



