No. 4.] REPORT OF STATE FORESTER. 227 



over all i)arts of the Commoiiwcaltb, from Cape Cod to the 

 Berkshires, aiul occur uiuler widely different topographical 

 conditions. And, furtlierniore, such systems of lookouts as we 

 have mentioned are managed over comparatively localized areas, 

 usually vast wilderness, by the owners themselves for their 

 own benefit, while the difference in Massachusetts is obvious. 



The problem is not to immediately establish a complete fire 

 protection system all over the State, but to endeavor, by placing 

 lookouts at certain important points, to co-operate as far as 

 possible with the local wardens in the quick detection of fires. 

 It is easily seen that such a system becomes useful largely 'in 

 jjroportion to the distance covered from a given point, so that 

 a tower erected on flat country may prove of great service. 

 Take, for example, the Plymouth tower. This tower was built 

 by the town of Plymouth, and is of skeleton steel construction 

 somewhat like a windmill tower, with a small sheet-iron cabin 

 at the top. The structure itself is 85 feet high, and the watch- 

 man is elevated 250 feet above sea level, — an elevation which 

 emibles him to see many miles over the surrounding flat country. 

 A man is kept on watch in this tower in dry seasons from March 

 15 to October 1, from 8 in the morning till 6 at night. This 

 watchman is connected by telephone with the forest warden, and 

 the plan has jiroved to be a most excellent one. 



The Cape has by far the most destructive fires of any region 

 in the State, and it is therefore thought advisable to lay the 

 strongest emphasis on that section at present, at the same time 

 choosing suitable locations in other sections. At least two 

 towers are urged for the Caj)e section. 



One of the necessary equipments of such stations is the tele- 

 ])hone, and the cost of installation would depend, first on whether 

 such hills were already equipped (as is Mt. Greylock) ; and, 

 second, on the distance to the nearest line and likelihood of 

 future development in the vicinity, which would affect the cost 

 of putting in such a line. In the more remote localities a larger 

 proportion of the expense would have to be borne by the State. 



Other equipment consists of good field glasses, range finder 

 and accurate maps of the region. The cost of the structure 

 itself depends, of course, on the locality and the amount of con- 



