Much of this should have been done before 

 row. 



j. A part of the tax money from all unoc- 

 cupied lands should go into a State fund for 

 'the protection of these lands. 



Remedies Suggested. 



The remedies here suggested apply particu- 

 larly to the large areas of sparsely settled 

 lands in our northern counties, whete forest 

 fires are common every year and where calam- 

 ities are possible during any dry year. Here 

 we have the following conditions to meet: 



1. The climate. Cold and snow of winter 

 deaden the cover of herbage and shrubbery and 

 press it to the ground. On the sandy lands 

 the ground dries quickly after the snow goes 

 away and the dead material on the ground 

 burns readily directly after the snow disap- 

 pears. Early frosts in August and September 

 deaden the herbage and cause a second danger 

 season. The danger times are in ordinary 

 years from April 15 to June 30, and a less 

 dangerous time from August 15 to October 1. 

 In summer the green stuff on the ground and 

 in the fall the cold weather usually prevent 

 further trouble. During some years there is 

 very little danger at any time. 



In addition. Michigan, like all continental 

 districts, is liable to dry seasons, when fire ex- 

 ists from April to November, as was the case 

 in 1871, 1881, 1894 and 1908. 



2. Large areas of wild land have been cut 

 and burned over and are easily dried out to 

 the danger point. On all of these lands, as 

 well as in our wild woods, there is much dend 

 material logs, stubs and stumps which feeds 

 the fires. These large areas are cheap in price, 

 much of them being tax and State lands, am! 

 local people have for decades been led to think 

 that fires here were of no consequence. These 



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