FORESTRY. 93 



not by documentary reports. Force these upon the attention 

 of all by tracts or placards in the places of common resort, in 

 lumbering- camps, in all centres of population adjacent to the 

 forests." 



"2. By stringent national and state laws, fastening- 

 responsibility upon careless g-uides and tourists, and also 

 upon those who are clearing- lands. When a man wishes to 

 burn a fallow piece he should girdle it with swaths. Re- 

 sponsible men, who would not think of endang-ering- their 

 neig-hbour's house by a bon-fire in their g-arden, think noth- 

 ing- of letting- loose their fallow fires into adjoining- timber." 



The correspondents who offer suggestions almost always 

 ask for more vigorous laws, with rewards offered for the con- 

 viction of delinquents, while others admit the existence of 

 laws, but deplore the fact that the laws are not enforced. A 

 great change has taken place in regard to the enforcement of 

 the Fire Prevention Act within recent years. There were 

 more prosecutions for violations of this act in the last two 

 seasons, probably than during all former years. 



Much good work has been done by the North West 

 Mounted Police Force in carrying into effect the fire ordi- 

 nances of the North-West ; and by their efforts immense 

 loss to the timber has been averted. Under the Statutes of 

 Manitoba the municipal councils are empowered to appoint a 

 fire guardian service. Repeated efforts have been made to 

 get these councils to take action in this direction, but with 

 poor success. A few of the municipal councils have made 

 such appointments and are showing an interest in all steps 

 being taken to conserve the timber. The difficulty appears 

 to be to get suitable persons to accept the office. 



The burden of any work in connection with fighting 

 fires, would rest as a matter of course, on those settlers living 

 nearest the timber, and, while it is regrettable to have to 

 make the statement, the reason given for these men for re- 

 fusing to accept appointment is, that the settler living at a 

 greater distance, and who benefits equally by the preserva- 



