390 FORESTRY IN NEW ENGLAND 



hours' pay is allowed to all persons ofiScially summoned to a fire. 

 All expenses incurred in extinguishing fires are borne one-half by 

 the state and one-half by the town. The wardens have power 

 similar to those of Connecticut to summon aid, etc. 



During periods of drought the town warden may require the 

 district wardens to patrol their several districts subject to the 

 approval of the town council. There are in the Rhode Island 

 fire law two or three provisions peculiar to the state. For 

 example : ' ' Whenever any two or more adjoining towns, having 

 an aggregate of 8000 or more acres of woodland, or whenever 

 any number of forest owners whose woodland in any two or 

 more adjoining towns aggregates 4000 acres, shall build and 

 equip a lookout station and connect the same with telephone, 

 the town fire warden is authorized to appoint a watchman who 

 is paid one-half by the town and one-half by the state." An- 

 other clause provides: " In any town having 1000 or more acres 

 of woodland that the fire warden may have three-quarters 

 of the expense of his telephone paid by the state." The Rhode 

 Island law also provides a number of checks: for example, no 

 warden is to be paid for more than three hundred hours' services 

 in any one year whatever the danger from fire. Employees are 

 not to be paid for over one hundred hours in a single year." 

 The state is not liable for an expenditure of over $300 for ex- 

 tinguishing fires in any one town. There is also a check clause 

 preventing more than two lookout stations in a county from 

 drawing state money. 



The Rhode Island law prohibits the setting of fires in the open 

 air between March i and December i, except by written per- 

 mission of the town or district forest warden, and except, further, 

 that debris, etc., may be burned by the owner or lessee, agent, 

 etc., on land devoid of inflammable material. 



Educational Work. 

 C— The Commissioner of Forestry advises forest owners, upon 

 request, in regard to the management of their forests; delivers 

 addresses on forestry, publishes bulletins and reports, and in 



