of-door hints. Surveying and timber estimating are explained 

 so that boys may determine the value of the timber they are 

 protecting. When a fire is discovered, the scout having first 

 knowledge of it is to make report to the township warden. 

 He is asked to make an intelligent report along these lines: 



The kind of material in combustion. 



The approximate area of destruction. 



The probable area of destruction. 



The establishment of a fighting line. 



The means for fighting: water, sand or earth, flails, brush 

 or water-soaked sacks or blankets, fire lanes, etc. 



While it is not intended that any boy shall risk his life in 

 fighting fire, it is to be expected and is of course desired that 

 the scouts shall deal with smaller fires which are dangerous 

 principally because of the danger that they might spread. 

 The method of attack on a blaze is thus described by Cap- 

 tain Oscar Swanson of Wolverine Company, Oscoda: 



"We figure on getting most of the fires before they get any 

 size. We just cut or tear off a big pine or cedar branch and 

 whip 'em to a frazzle. We get behind to windward where it's 

 safe. Then we whip along the sides and it keeps dying down 

 as we gain on it, till we meet in front. Then it's out. 



"What'll we do with a great big fire? Why, there won't be 

 any. That's what the scouts are for to put 'em out when 

 they are small. But if there should happen to be a big one, 

 we would report it to the township fire warden and he would 

 organize a force to fight the blaze. Some of the fires start 

 when it's vacation in school and that's when we can watch 

 for 'em. 



"When there are no fires? W T hy then we'll put in the time 

 cutting fire lanes to protect the towns and farm houses and 

 trimming the useless branches off the trees so the sap will 

 go into the trunk and make 'em grow faster. Pretty soon 

 we'll have our forest back again." 



As a result of the scout movement, the forest fire loss, 

 which had approximated upwards of one million dollars an- 

 nually, dropped from $3,746,000 in 1911 to $67,000 in 1912, to 

 less than $23,000 in 1913, and this year with its unprecedented 

 and untoward drouth conditions, was held to $154,000. 



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