1906 FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 39 



present laws it is almost impossible to clearing the ground of combustible 



do this without fraud, or at least eva- material for a considerable distance on 



sion of the law. The only remedy is each side of every railway track 



such change in the law as will permit through forests. These would thus 



the sale of mature timber on public become fire guards to stop the progress 



land, while the preservation of the of any fire started from any cause, 



gowing crop remains in scientific Every wide river is a natural fire 



hands. It is peculiarly fortunate that guard ; smaller streams may become 



the forest reserves are under a super- fire guards by clearing their banks for 



vision that inspires universal confi- a distance on each side. * By clearing 



dence. occasional short strips in suitable 



In the absence of public control of places the guards formed along rail- 

 the timber that has now passed into ways and rivers may be so connected 

 private hands, it becomes important that the whole forest region would be 

 that every device be employed to check divided into blocks of moderate area, 

 the destruction that cannot be directly to one of which any fire would be con- 

 prevented. The moral force of this fined. 



Association in this direction can hard- During the past fifteen years the 



ly be overestimated, and we should be production of Portland cement in the 



faithful and vigilant in exerting that United States has increased about 



force at all points. ninety-fold; it has nearly quadrupled 



In view of the present tendency to in the past five years. In 1890 nine- 

 revise fiscal laws, the friends of the tenths of the Portland cement used in 

 forest should not forget that we are this country was imported; now less 

 at present virtually offering a pecuni- than one-fortieth is imported, and the 

 ary bounty on the destruction of our imports are still large. To a great ex- 

 forests by levying a tariff on lumber, tent this has been used in the erection 

 woodpulp, and other forest products, of concrete structures which would 

 Far more efficient than steel, cement, otherwise have been built of wood, 

 glass, paper, or any other possible sub- The use of steel, glass, and other ma- 

 stitute for our native woods are the terials as substitutes for wood has 

 forests of Canada and tropical Ameri- greatly increased in the same time, and 

 ca, which, if permitted, would be yet the consumption of wood in this 

 largely used in this country, and would country is constantly increasing, in 

 tend to check the destruction of our spite of the steadily increasing price 

 native forests. Incidentally, it would of lumber. This means that the actual 

 ameliorate the lot of the settler on the demand for wood has greatly increased 

 plains and every one who employs this and is constantly growing, 

 prime necessity of civilization. If it There is no doubt that wood is now 

 were possible to import iron and steel, used for many purposes for which its 

 it would stimulate the use of these l1se should be discouraged or prohib- 

 more permanent and less inflammable ited, on account of its inflammable na- 

 substitutes for wood, and in a measure ture. The construction of wooden 

 accomplish by a short cut what we are buildings and the finishing in wood of 

 trying to promote by laborious and stone, brick, and steel structures is far 

 expensive measures of preservation more common than it should be, and is 

 and reforestation. a menace to both life and property. 



The devastation of forest fires can The remedy lies in more education 



be, and should be, stopped. An effi- along the lines of true economy and 



cient patrol can largely prevent fires, greater stringency of fire laws, 



and they can be held in check by an in- Scientific forestry does not mean the 



telligent system of fire guards. Many continued preservation of individual 



fires are caused by railway locomo- trees, but merely their preservation 



fives, and these should be prevented by until ready for harvest and the preven- 



