12 REPORT OF THE No. 3 



Lands Under License. 



The area under license at the close of the fiscal year was 16,231 square miles, 

 a decrease of 657 square miles from the previous year. 



Sum:hary of Revenue from Woods and Forests. 



Bonus $872,598 69 



Timber Dues 662,928 30 



Ground Rent 87,682 52 



Transfer Fees 5,205 00 



Fire Protection 174,666 85 



$1,803,081 36 



Cullers' Examination. ' 



Two examinations were held during the year, one at North Bay and one at 

 Kenora. Four candidates succeeded in passing the examination and were duly 

 granted certificates authorizing them to act as Cullers. For names of Cullers who 

 passed at these examinations, see page 41, Appendix 12. For complete list of 

 licensed Cullers see Minister's Reports for 1917 and for 1918. 



Fire Protection. 



The season of 1919 was the third season during which the Forestry Branch 

 was charged with the work relating to the Forest Fire Prevention Act of 1917. 

 In submitting his report for 1919, the Provincial Forester suggests that considera- 

 tion be given to legislation which will provide for compulsory fire fighting by 

 local labour in cases of necessity. Attention is also drawn to the advisability of 

 amending the Forest*Fires Prevention Act to provide more effective penalties for 

 violation of the permit regulations. Such violations of the permit regulations 

 are punishable at the present time by fine only. 



During the season of 1919, six thousand six Imndred and thirty-five fire 

 permits were issued covering a total of 26,790 acres, as against nine thousand 

 five hundred and ninety permits for the season of 1918, covering 39,633 acres. 

 Twenty-three persons were prosecuted for infractions of the permit regulations 

 and convictions were secured in twenty cases. As has been intimated above, the 

 time seems opportune for consideration of the insertion in the Act of provisions 

 for more drastic penalties in cases of flagrant offences. 



The territory protected was divided into thirty ranger districts. The field 

 force consisted of one Superintendent, four Inspectors, tliirty Chief Rangers, 

 forty-nine Deputy Chief Rangers, with a maximum of one thousand and fourteen 

 rangers. 



Forest Fires. 



During the early part of the fire season the weather was comparatively wet, 

 and it was accordingly possible to keep the ranging staff at a minimum. In the 

 month of ^lay the weather became very dry, and a period of three months of 

 abnormally dry weather conditions followed. Fires became numerous and assumed 

 large proportions. 



Difficulty was first encountered in the Clay Belt District. The permit system 

 undoubtedly saved the situation from becoming more serious than was actually 

 the case. Clearing fires, however, in numerous cases got out of control, and 



