Eight :: :: THE EIGHTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE 



during the danger season of the year in order that a closer patrol 

 be maintained than heretofore. Members of the Association do not 

 feel, however, that they should assess themselves a larger sum than 

 two cents per acre in an average year for this purpose. The non- 

 contributing acreage if listed in the Association, would provide funds 

 enabling the Association to double its patrol force during the most 

 dangerous part of the dry season of the year, without any increase 

 in assessments. 



Lack of co-operation on the part of the owners of nearly one- 

 third of the timber lands in our territory, is the present unfavorable 

 situation in forest protection. Many timber owners are indifferent, 

 not realizing the danger; others profess to believe that their holdings 

 are immune and still others, although well aware of the risk, are too 

 willing to accept the service now rendered without cost to themselves. 

 Every season telephone calls and telegrams calling for help to fight 

 fires are received from people who only seem to recognize the Asso- 

 ciation when their own individual timber is threatened, and in such 

 cases assistance is always rendered whenever possible, regardless of 

 whether the holdings in the Association are directly endangered. 



The tendency is to hold timber owners responsible for the pro- 

 tection of their property and if they will not do so voluntarily, laws 

 are sure to be enacted compelling them to take adequate measures, 

 but laws of this nature are not apt to be popular and should be 

 resorted to only as a last recourse. 



Members Can Aid: 



How can timber owners be made to realize these facts? A few 

 lines written or a word spoken by old members to those who either 

 do not think that danger exists or are indifferent and also to the last 

 class mentioned above, may have more effect than a number of letters 

 from this office, and old members can serve both their own interest 

 and that of the public by aiding in getting non-members to become 

 members of the Association and thus help to protect the forests from 

 the danger of forest fires and also eliminate the necessity of a com- 

 pulsory patrol law, such as was contemplated in the last Legislature. 



O. BYSTROM, Secretary. 



