392 



FORESTRY IN NEW ENGLAND 



partments by the State Board. The forestry apportionment for 

 the year beginning July i, 191 1, was $11,000. 



Fire Service. 



B. — The state forester is ex-officio state fire warden. In every 

 organized town of the state the first selectman is ex-ofhcio for- 

 est fire warden. While this is not as good a system as that of 

 Connecticut, where the fire wardens are appointed especially for 

 their work, in most cases it proves effective. The state forester 

 is authorized to appoint fire wardens in the unorganized towns 

 or gores, and to appoint district wardens in parts of towns where 

 it is difficult for the first selectman to act. Fire wardens are paid 

 at the rate of $2 per day for time employed in performing the 

 duties of their office. They have the right to call on all male 

 inhabitants of the town for assistance, who are paid at the rate 

 of $1.50 per day. Expenses for fire fighting are borne by the 

 town, but if in any town the expense exceeds, in any one year, 

 five per cent of the grand Hst,^ the balance is paid by the state, 

 upon approval of the bill by the state forester. So far as is 

 known, Vermont is the only state which has this kind of a pro- 

 vision for a division of expenditures and it may be highly com- 

 mended, since the greatest benefit accrues to the poorest towns, 

 which are usually those most in need of forest preservation. 



The county game wardens are also ex-ofificio fire wardens. 

 The governor has authority to postpone the hunting season if 

 he beHeves that serious danger of forest fires will result thereby, 

 but as the open season on deer has now been put over into 

 November, there is little likeHhood of this again being necessary. 



The fire wardens have the authority, upon obtaining consent 

 of the state forester, to establish patrols in dangerous locahties. 

 The state forester is authorized to pay the expenses of fire 

 wardens to local meetings to discuss matters pertaining to 

 forestry and the prevention of fires. 



* It should be stated here by way of explanation that Vermont has a unique 

 system of taxation, by which the grand list of a town is one per cent of the total 

 valuation of property instead of the grand total as in most states. 



