meaner, and on conviction thereof shall be sentenced to pay a 

 fine not exceeding- $300, and undergo an imprisonment not ex- 

 ceeding twelve months, or either or both at the discretion of the 

 court; and prosecutions for such offenses may be commenced at 

 at any time within two years from the commission thereof. 



SECTION 2. Upon the conviction of any person or persons from 

 any of the offenses aforesaid,, the commissioners of the county in 

 which such conviction is had, shall pay to the prosecutor in every 

 such case the sum of $50 out of the county treasury as a reward 

 for the apprehension and conviction of the offender, and the de- 

 fendant or defendants shall pay the same, with the costs, as in 

 other cases, into the hands of the sheriff for the use of the county, 

 and nothing herein contained shall prevent the prosecutor from 

 being a competent witness in the prosecution aforesaid. 



Cases and convictions under this act are likewise of infrequent 

 occurrence. It is seldom that satisfactory evidence can be ob- 

 tained. 



A large portion of the land exposed to firing is the property 

 of companies or non-residents, and protection does not seem to 

 them to be worth what it costs. A further complication arises 

 from the ease and freedom with which such lands are overrun by 

 a miscellaneous horde of hunters, fishermen and berry pickers, 

 who are, for the time being, as the owners themselves, cutting, 

 burning, destroying without let or hindrance. Against them the 

 ordinary laws regarding trespass are seldom enforced. 



These laws which give large control into the hands of an owner 

 are, on the whole, but little employed, from fear of incurring ill 

 will and malice, and too often from a greatly mistaken idea of 

 the insignificant values threatened and impaired by such tres- 

 passing. 



We need a radical change of practice in these regards. Not- 

 withstanding the laxity of public sentiment and the imperfect- 

 ness of our laws,, it is possible to accomplish a good deal if there 

 is community of action. 



Let all organizations, not only of granges, farmers' clubs and 

 agricultural societies, but also all bodies which own or control 

 our forest lands, combine to apply and enforce the laws regard- 

 ing trespass and firing, and agree to support one another in so 

 doing. Judicious action of this kind could hardly fail to inaugu- 

 rate a new era, and to pave the way for a new law whereby some 

 township officer, perhaps a new one, shall be a firewarden, re- 



