CHIEF FIRE WARDEN. 45 



tion of forests within the state and investigate the origin 

 of all forest fires. ' 'Any person who shall on any land 

 within the state set or leave any fire that shall spread and 

 damage or destroy property of any kind, not his own, 

 shall be punished by a fine of not less than $10 nor more 

 than $500." 



The expenses incurred in carrying out the provisions of 

 the law * 'shall be met as other expenses of cruising or car- 

 ing for the state lands." The items in the appropriation 

 act for the two years ending March 31, 1905, out of which 

 one must suppose these expenses are to be paid, are as 

 follows, namely: "Salary and expenses of agents select- 

 ing lands, and United States Land Office fees, $12,000. 

 Appraisement, sale and lease of state lands, $20,000." 



ONTARIO. 



The Province of Ontario having more than twice the 

 territorial extent of Minnesota, with extensive forests, her 

 system of fire prevention should be of particular interest. 

 As early as 1878 a law for the prevention of forest fires 

 was enacted, but, not providing means for its enforcement, 

 it became, to a great extent, a dead letter; and in that 

 condition matters remained until the year 1885, when a 

 system was devised by the Crown Land Department for 

 the employment of rangers to be appointed by that de- 

 partment on the recommendation of the "timber licens- 

 ees" or lumbermen the lumbermen to pay half the ex- 

 pense of the service and the government half. For some 

 years the government advanced pay for the whole cost 

 and undertook to collect one-half of the expense from the 

 lumbermen, but now the lumbermen pay their half direct 

 to the rangers. The system remained simply one of 

 practice until the year 1900, when it was enacted as a law. 

 Under this law, for the prevention and suppression of 

 fires on the lands of the Crown not under timber license, 



