A large number of organized towns taxed themselves to 

 add their patrolmen to the state force. 



The number of patrolmen, and hence the working efficiency 

 of the service, was more than doubled through co-operation. 



Constructing Fire-Breaks Around Towns, a New Idea. 



One of the most interesting features brought out, especially 

 interesting because it is a new idea, is the protection of the 

 towns in the forest areas by the construction of fire-breaks 

 around them. Such breaks were built only at the instigation 

 and with the co-operation of the State Forest Service. Such 

 a break would have saved any one of the numerous towns 

 which have been wiped out by forest fires in the past years. 

 The method and cost of construction makes interesting read- 

 ing. 



But even more interesting is the description of the great 

 fire-break in the great burnt-over district devastated by the 

 tremendous fires which destroyed the towns of Baudette and 

 Spooner two years ago. This work, made possible by a con- 

 tribution from the Red Cross fund for the aid of the fire 

 sufferers in that district, is the most comprehensive system 

 of fire-breaks in the country that have ever been constructed 

 for the protection of such an extensive area. Would not such 

 systems of breaks pay in every forested area? 



Quite as interesting, and probably the most valuable data 

 in this report is the detailed description and accurate cost 

 data on the extinction of an extensive bog fire in southeast 

 Polk county, covering an area of 236 acres, by means of a 

 power ditcher and constant control, at a cost of $1,800. It 

 shows how serious these fires can really be. The moral 

 drawn is that they are very cheaply handled when small and 

 very expensive when allowed to grow. They are usually to- 

 tally neglected. 



Although this work of fire prevention and fire fighting nat- 

 urally occupies most of the State Forester's time at present 

 and a large proportion of his report, he makes it distinctly 

 understood that he considers it only as the preliminary step 

 which will make his proper work, the scientific management 

 of the state's forests, possible. 



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