stroyiiig insects. This disappearance of avian life is. 

 no doubt, to be attributed, in part at least, to the fires, 

 which destroy so many Of these birds in the breeding 

 season. 



SERIOUS LOSS IN 1S95. 



From reliable statistics, on file in this Department, 

 we find that in the year 1895 there were about -J-Jo.Odd 

 acres bnrued over, occasioning a great loss to valuable 

 timber, aggregating fully one million of dollars. 



In 1895 twenty buildings were destroyed, among 

 which were several saw-mills; two men and several 

 horses and cattle lost their lives in the tires, which 

 also consumed a considerable quantity of cut and 

 sawed timber. In the same year the farmers spent 

 $45,000 in wages alone, to pay men and boys to aid in 

 extinguishing the flames. Besides the great loss to our 

 lumber interests and to the farmers whose fences, build- 

 ings and other personal property are continually en- 

 dangered by the flames' ravages, the reducing of these 

 semi-annual conflagrations, which in the majority of 

 cases, are, from reports at hand, the result of either 

 .grossly careless or maliciously inclined persons, is 

 absolutely necessary as the continued destruction of 

 our timbered areas by the woodman's axe and the de 

 vastating flames, will before many years s/eriouslr 

 menace the water supply of our State. The i-estoratioft 

 of forest trees on thousands of acres of land, now prac- 

 tically valueless, is a matter of the utmost importance 

 from a hygenic standpoint. The fact, however, re- 

 mains true that this can never be accomplished unless 

 some vigorous means, through legislative aid, are 

 taken to repress the forest fires. 



