400 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE, [Pub. Doc. 



being built at Savoy and Pelham. These towers are all equipped with 

 maps, field glasses and telephone which connects with over 1,800 forest 

 wardens and deputies, the observers in charge being local men in nearly 

 every instance, who are thoroughly famiUar with the surrounding terri- 

 tory. 



WTiile we have had nearly 3,000 fires reported from these stations to 

 the different wardens, we have had very few serious fires, notably, the 

 Freetown, Bourne, Yarmouth and Shutesbury fires which were allowed 

 to burn for days. These fires were practically extinguished the first day, 

 but were left at night without sufficient help to control, only to start up 

 the second day, unnecessary back fires being set that were soon beyond 

 control. 



One matter which I deem of vital importance, and to which I desire to 

 call your attention, is the necessity of a law which will provide for a rea- 

 sonable disposition of the slash or brush which is now left on the ground 

 following wood and lumber operations. I might state here that the two 

 or three serious fires which I have referred to would have been impossible 

 had it not been for the fact that where they occurred hundreds of acres of 

 this slash had been left, so extinguishment was made almost an impossi- 

 bihty. For several years I have recommended in my annual report to 

 the Legislature the imperative need of a law which would obviate this 

 condition, but no action has yet been taken. The incoming Legislature 

 will again be asked to consider the same subject, and I desire to say here 

 that your organization can render no more valuable service to the State 

 Forestry Department than by sending representatives before the pro- 

 per committees of the Legislature to urge the passage of the bill. 



The Fifth National Conservation Congress. 

 The conservation of our natural resources and their proper 

 use constitutes a problem of gigantic proportions upon the wise 

 solving of which depends very largely the abiding prosperity 

 of the nation. Of such vital importance was it considered by 

 Theodore Roosevelt, that in May, 1908, he called together in 

 convention the Governors of all the States of the Union to con- 

 sider the question of how best to bring about a reform of the 

 present wasteful methods of production and utilization of our 

 natural resources, such as minerals, timber, water power, soils, 

 in fact, all the natural wealth with which we as a nation are so 

 richly endowed, to the end that their benefits may be shared 

 equally among all the people, and that there may be trans- 

 mitted a practically undiminished capital to the generations to 

 come. As a result of that conference there was organized the 

 National Conservation Congress, and the conservation senti- 



