uer both the direct effect of a fire in destroying- standing timber 

 and the indirect effect in destroying- forest conditions, whereby 

 reforesting- becomes exceedingly difficult and prolong-ed. It rep- 

 resents a part of the north side of White Mountain, Mifflin county, 

 Pennsylvania. It is by no means an extreme case, but can be 

 paralleled at many other places in the state. 



We find that the causes of forest fires vary greatly in different 

 localities, and that from the circumstances of the case, they are 

 often difficult to detect. There can be no doubt, however, but 

 that they are frequently due to criminal carelessness and indiffer- 

 ence on the part of hunters, fishermen, .berry pickers and the 

 like. Sucn persons being permitted to range at will for some minor 

 purpose are indifferent to, or contemptuous of, the potent value 

 of wild lands, and, since little of direct value is in sight, think 

 but lightly of starting a fire which may get beyond their con- 

 trol, or even of firing directly, if it suits them to do it. 



Men who are fully alive to the value of buildings and bonds, 

 and would never think of applying the torch to them, have some- 

 times no hesitation in starting a mountain fire, which may burn 

 over square miles of territory before it stops, and do inestimable 

 damage in destroying forest conditions. It is against such ig- 

 norance, indifference and malice that we should lift a warning 

 voice, and enlist all the force at our command. Forestry, in this 

 country, with all its attendant benefits, can never take a strong 

 hold and become well rooted in our economy until this state of 

 affairs becomes radically .changed. 



It is a standing menace to any effective forest legislation or 

 practice. It renders all our efforts weak and uncertain, causes 

 the withdrawal of what little capital is invested in lands capable 

 of reforesting, and, if continued, will make all such lands as barren 

 and unproductive as a Sahara in spite of our favorable climate 

 and the spasmodic efforts of nature to repair the injury. More 

 than this, it will react more or less directly upon our use of 

 cultivated land, and, indeed, upon all industries since they are so 

 intimately bound together that the prosperity of one is the pros- 

 perity of all. 



How to remedy or improve this lamentable condition of affairs 

 is the practical question which confronts us to-day. We ha.ve 

 some laws upon the subject, and although they are generally ad- 

 mitted to be imperfect and but partially effective, it is equally 

 evident that they are not put in operation as they should and 



