tion. This disadvantage becomes much more pro- 

 nounced in times of scarcity and unsettled conditions 

 such as the present, when the excess in retail prices, 

 deducting all transportation costs, may even exceed 

 the total price of the same grades under normal condi- 

 tions. 



The State Legislation Needed 



The State legislation necessary to stop forest devas- 

 tation will necessarily vary in different regions. Cer- 

 tain essential features of such laws, however, are 

 common to all of the States containing large forest 

 areas. The more important of them may be stated 

 briefly as follows : 



FIRE PREVENTION AND REFORESTATION OF PRIVATE 



LANDS 



State laws should provide for the organized pro- 

 tection of all forest lands in the State during per- 

 iods of fire hazard, the protected areas to include 

 all cutover and unimproved land, as w T ell as bodies 

 of timber. The protective system should include 

 patrols during dry weather, lookout stations, fire 

 breaks and roads where effective, and organized 

 fire-fighting forces. Every forest owner, large or 

 small, should bear his proportionate share of its cost, 

 about half of which may be properly borne by the 

 State itself with the aid of the Federal Government. 

 Police regulations for the control of fire during dry 

 periods, in connection with railroad or industrial op- 

 erations near forest land, land clearing or slash dis- 

 posal, hunting, etc., and for the control of incendiar- 



26 



