158 THE USE BOOK. 



cases of fire trespass in detail. They should not content them- 

 selves with mere inquiry, but should secure affidavits as soon 

 after the fire as possible from eyewitnesses and from others 

 whose information might lead to the establishment of the- case 

 for the Government. 



The State criminal laws regarding fire are often adequate, 

 and in certain cases criminal prosecution under the State laws 

 may be necessary. Such prosecutions must be conducted in the 

 State courts. Proof in criminal cases must be very specific. 

 Great care should bejtaken to collect evidence by affidavit, not 

 oTTIy to secure evidence to convict, but rebutting evidence to 

 possible excuses of the malefactor. 



No proceeding should be taken in a State court except under 

 the instructions of the Forester. 



PATROL. 



Each supervisor is responsible for the division of his Forest 

 into patrol districts and the assignment of a suitable patrol 

 force to each district. 



Rangers andj^uards must use every possible effort to extin- 

 guish every fire of which they have knowledge, and must 

 immediately investigate^ every one of which they are informed. 

 If the Forest officer can not put it out alone, he must get help. 

 The fact that it may notjbejn hiljlgtrict^asjno bearing, unless 

 he is certain another ranger is there already. 



Hangers on fire-patrol duty should avoid spending time 

 in palces or along routes where there is little danger or 

 small outlook. A clean fire record rather than hours spent or 

 miles ridden is the best indication of efficient patrol. Qften^ a 

 short trip to a c^m^nanding point is better than, a long ride 

 tnrougn" a wooded valley. During dry_and^ flangerou s periocfs 

 fEtTselection of^headquarters, camping places,jinc^ rojiites should 

 bemade_with tne^smgle object of preventing and discovering 

 ffresT^lFis often necessary for a ranger to be detailed to-^patr^ol 

 certain much-used trails or roads by which^parties enter the 

 mountains. 



