31 



equipped and admirably conducted steam railways of 

 our Commouwealth, but from the little (and in many 

 cases defective) "dinkey" cugines, such as are in use 

 on many lumbering operations. 



A COMMON CAUSE OF FOREST FIRES.- 



Auollier and very fruitful cause of forest fires is the 

 custom, as practiced in numerous regious, of setting 

 fire in the early spring to undergrowth, dry fallen 

 leaves, and dead wood, so that grazing aud pasture 

 grounds will be furnished for cattle and sheep. Tlie 

 I>eople who do this work know it is contrary to law, 

 but they nevertheless follow it up year after year. 

 Instances are known where in order to escape detec 

 tion, men have taken lighted candles and placed them 

 under piles of leaves and other combustible materials. 

 These candles in a few hours would burn out aud start 

 fires when the men who had arranged the contriv- 

 ances would be many miles from the place. 



Old huckleberry patches are often tired, so a new 

 crop of vigorous bushes will come up the following 

 spring. Thus, for the sake of a few bushels of berries, 

 men will start fires that destroy many thousands o! 

 dollars worth of property and much wild animal-life. 



Deer hunters oftentimes, in order to clear up un- 

 derbrush so they can get better shots at deer, will 

 burn extensive tracts of land. 



CARELESS SPORTSMEN. 



As many of the fires can be traced to the carelessness 

 of sportsmen, it would seem an awful lesson to them to 

 read what a frightful destruction to game these fii'ci* 

 are. It should teach them to not only be careful 

 themselves, but encourage them to give in formation 



