32 SECOND ANNUAL CONVENTION 



I can not urge too strongly the adoption by North Carolina of a forest fire 

 protective system with an adequate appropriation to meet its expenses. The 

 State, which is so rich in timber resources, can then avail itself of the bene- 

 fits offered by the Weeks law. 



At the request of the President the discussion on Mr. Peters' paper 

 was postponed until after the next paper, which gives a view of the same 

 subject from the standpoint of one of the States which is now cooperat- 

 ing with the Pederal Government in fire protection. 



In the unavoidable absence of Mr. F. W. Besley, State Forester of 

 Maryland, his paper was read by the Secretary. His paper follows : 



FOREST PROTECTION AS APPLIED IN MARYLAND UNDER THE 

 WEEKS LAW. 



By F. W. Besley, State Forester of Maryland. 



The limited way in which Maryland has been able to participate in the 

 benefits of the "Weeks law has shown that it is a good thing and makes us 

 anxious to do more along this line. Since forest conditions in North Caro- 

 lina are somewhat similar to those in Maryland, our experience in this con- 

 nection may have some suggestive value, at least. 



In order that any State may take advantage of the cooperative offer of the 

 Federal Government in fire protection, there are three conditions that must 

 be fulfilled. First, the State must have adequate fire laws, giving full author- 

 ity for inaugurating a policy of forest protection; second, there must be a 

 suitable organization for carrying into effect these laws, that full benefits 

 may be secured; and third, the State itself must appropriate money for the 

 purpose of fire protection, as the Federal Government, under the Weeks law, 

 will not, in any case, spend more money than the State spends for the same 

 purpose during the same time. 



There are certain other limitations upon the expenditure of the Federal 

 allotments, such as limiting it to patrol and lookout station work, on the 

 watersheds of navigable streams in the mountain sections, but under condi- 

 tions that exist in Maryland and in North Carolina these limitations will 

 probably not reduce the usefulness of the work. 



Maryland has a good forest fire law and a forest warden system for putting 

 the law into effect. The State has been expending about $1,200 annually for 

 forest fire protection, so that we were able to take advantage, to a small 

 extent, of the Federal cooperation. An arrangement was made for the fall of 

 1911, whereby the State allotted $600 and the Federal Government a like sum 

 for fire protection. Seven mounted patrolmen were employed at three dollars 

 per day to patrol on days when the woods were dry enough for fires to burn. 

 The patrolmen were selected by the State Forester and worked under his 

 direction, so that there was no interference whatever with the State forest 

 organization. These men were selected with great care, for the work that 

 they were called upon to do required tact in dealing with the mountain peo- 

 ple. Furthermore, the number of patrolmen employed and the amount of 

 money available was so small that close supervision was not practicable; 

 hence the necessity of securing men that could be fully relied upon. 



