Nezvs and Ahtcs. 113 



Part VII deals with the royahies, taxes and charges. In future, 

 royalties will be charged according to the grade of the lumber 

 cut — there being three grades — and will show a material increase 

 over the old rates. 



Part XI deals with the important subject of fire prevention, 

 and is entirely new. The main feature is the creation of a Forest 

 Protection Fund for the protection of the forests and woodlands 

 against fire. Every owner of timber lands, whether in the nature 

 of crown grant, lease or license, will be required to contribute a 

 cent an acre per year, and shall in addition pay two-and-a-half 

 cents per thousand feet of timber cut, as a contribution to the cost 

 of fitting out fire crews and looking after fires. Crown granted 

 lands which do not pay royalty on the cut are required to pay 

 two cents an acre. Against the amounts so contributed the 

 Government puts dollar for dollar. At first this fund will 

 amount to about a quarter of a million dollars and increase as 

 time goes on. This fund will be expended for the specific pur- 

 poses of establishing patrols, building trails, erecting telephone 

 lines, etc., according to the most up to date and approved methods 

 of fighting fire. 



It is understood that Mr. Overton Price will organize the pro- 

 vincial service. 



The following statement is summarized from the Fire Reports 

 from the National Forests in District i, which includes ^^lontana, 

 northeastern Washington, northern Idaho, northwestern South 

 Dakota, northern ^Michigan, northern Minnesota, and south- 

 western North Dakota : 



"During 1910 there was no rain from May to September — this 

 year frequent rains occurred throughout the season. Last year 

 there were 5.000 fire fighters and ten companies of soldiers in the 

 field at one time, — this year the fire fighters for the entire season 

 totaled only 600. Last year over $750,000 was spent fighting fire, 

 while this year's bill totaled only about $15,000. The area burned 

 over last year totaled 2,600,000 acres, and the timber burned 

 amounted to 6,000,000,000 feet B. M. The corresponding figures 

 this season are 35,000 acres burned and 2,500,000 feet B. ]\I. 

 killed. Only 5,000 acres were burned in Montana and Idaho this 

 year and 30,000 acres in Michigan and Minnesota. The total 



