662 



AMERICAN FORESTRY 



in our work and are helping us to ac- about that amount this season, and I 



complish it. Last season about eight believe our work will be more effective 



thousand blueberry pickers were out on each year. 



the marshes. In former years they , & , , 



v * * Through our efforts, largely, an or- 



have been the cause of many fires. Our ..*.., /' 

 rangers called on nearly all of them, f nation similar to ours has been 

 and as a result we could not trace a formed m Lower Michigan. So far 

 single fire to that source. We have the we have failed to sufficiently interest 

 hearty support of the lumber companies, the Wisconsin timber owners. Their 

 railroads and settlers. We expect to holdings are now badly scattered and 

 keep hammering away in the hope, their problem is more difficult than ours, 

 which I believe will be realized, that Nevertheless, they should do something 

 people will learn to be careful and avoid along the lines we have been operating 

 starting fires. We have done nothing on. We will, in the course of time, 

 towards putting in phone lines and carry our educational work into our 

 watch towers, but have done consider- State legislature with the idea of bet- 

 able in the way of clearing up old log- tering our laws and eventually getting 

 ging roads or getting the township of- some sort of State patrol. At present 

 ficials to do it, as these roads make good we get no support from the State. Our 

 fire lines. Association is patrolling State lands 

 We have hopes of being able to in- now and receive nothing for it. We 

 crease our force considerably another think we have accomplished enough 

 year. There is a good chance of our to justify our expenditure of both time 

 acreage growing to four million acres and labor, and will continue to use both 

 soon. We spent five-eighths of a cent for the preservation of our timber re- 

 an acre in 1911, and will spend just sources. 



THE FIRE BUG AND THE EAST WIND 



E. T. ALLEN 



"No, I'll not burn my slash this spring," "Come on, we'll dump our ashes now," 

 The moss-back logger said, The railroad trainmen said. 



"I'll trust to God and luck again ; The train soon fanned them far and wide 



Expense is what I dread." As on its way it sped. 



"It's time to hit the trail again," 



The careless camper said, 

 And left his little fire ablaze; 



Within its leafy bed. 



"I'll light another cigarette," 



The idle loafer said, 

 \nd chucked his old snipe in the brush 



One end still glowing red. 



"Let's punch the screen out of the stack." 



The donkey fireman said, 

 And so he did and all the sparks 



Sailed blithely overhead. 



"Good time to fire my slashing now," 



The thrifty rancher said, 

 And touched it off without a thought 

 Of how far it might spread. 



"I think I'll blow an hour or two," 



The restless east wind said, 

 Then liked it so he changed his mind 



And blew a week instead. 



"Millions in lives and timber lost," 



The newspapers next said. 

 What made those fires all start at once, 



We wondered as we read. 



"It wasn't us, it was that wind," 

 The fools in chorus said. 



So they're alive and loose this year 

 We hope the wind is dead. 



