264 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



a delight to the people of Massachusetts, but prove attractive to 

 many from other States who summer with us. The light soils 

 of the greater part of the Cape far surpass the sandy lands about 

 Darmstadt, Germany, where there are flourishing forests. Our 

 State highways are already proving that such an expenditure of 

 State money pays, and it is believed that State supervision in 

 forestry would prove equally beneficial. Forestry differs even from 

 building State highways, in that forests neither wear out nor 

 necessitate a constant maintenance expense, but, on the contrary, 

 bring interest upon the investment and eventually enhance the 

 principal itself. 



On such a question, I believe I know where the various Mas- 

 sachusetts organizations, such as the State Board of Agriculture, 

 the Massachusetts Forestry Association, the State Grange, 

 Federation of Woman's Clubs, Fish and Game Associations, etc., 

 would stand. We could rely upon their whole-hearted assistance. 



When visiting the national forest near Brussels and while tramp- 

 ing through the Black Forests of Germany the past summer, I 

 was charmed with their achievement, which appealed to me from 

 both the economic and aesthetic standpoint. It was imperative 

 that, on my return, I should try to enthuse the people of the old 

 Bay State to greater endeavor by showing them what might be 

 accomplished by solving the problem in a practical way. 



Our people generally have grown to appreciate the great good 

 that has been accomplished through establishing a State-wide 

 forest fire protective system. With many lookout stations scat- 

 tered over the whole State, from which vigilant, trained observers 

 detect and report fires in their incipiency; with four district 

 forest wardens who patrol their divisions and instruct and confer 

 with the local forest wardens in their territory; with a corps of 

 300 rural mail carriers who travel 6,000 miles daily, except Sun- 

 days, with instruction to report all forest fires; and with improved 

 equipment and better systematized organizations for fighting 

 forest fires and determining their causes, we are launching out 

 upon a new era of future possibilities in forestry in this State. 

 Forest fires must absolutely be eliminated if we are to build a 

 stanch, State-wide forest policy. 



What is true of forest fires is equally true, only in another way, 

 as to overcoming our forest insect and disease outbreaks. We 



