their first duty along this line is to prevent the accumulation 

 of slashings and debris by effective methods of brush dis- 

 posal. The methods necessarily vary with the timber condi- 

 tions, and in regard to this we must consider that slash dis- 

 posal is an added expense, and that we are affecting an im- 

 portant and necessary industry. The slow tree growth ap- 

 plies to slash disposal, our methods must be introduced care- 

 fully but surely, we must not rudely thrust expense upon the 

 persons operating in our forests. Any new proposition is 

 always looked on skeptically, and it is only by persistent ef- 

 forts that we can expect to attain a degree anywhere near 

 approaching perfection. 



3. From the fact that the greatest fire danger presented 

 itself in that part of our great North woods sparsely settled, 

 without trails or roads, and practically untraversible except 

 to experienced woodsmen, necessitated the opening up by 

 the forest service of trails and canoe routes. In some places 

 these were old and unused, overgrown with brush, in other 

 places new routes were made in order to shorten distances 

 between isolated settlements. These trails and canoe routes 

 serve a dual purpose. They facilitate and expedite the work 

 of the service and they are important as a means of ingress 

 and egress for the settler. 



Watch Towers in the North Woods. 



4. The watch towers are an important part of the patrol- 

 man's equipment. The usefulness of a tower was governed 

 by height, accessibility by roads or trails, and present or ulti- 

 mate telephone connection. There are 115 towers built by 

 the service in Minnesota and 75 per cent of these are con- 

 nected by telephone with the various rangers' headquarters. 

 The balance or 25 per cent will be connected during the com- 

 ing year. The connection by telephone or telegraph of every 

 watch tower with rangers' headquarters, and with the for- 

 ester's office acting as a clearing house for all messages, will 

 be accomplished in the very near future. 



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