No. 4.] REPORT OF STATE FORESTER. 303 



and showing them the importance of appointing deputy forest wardens 

 and having them distributed advantageously in the outlying timbered 

 districts of the towns. This work has been very satisfactory, enabling 

 us to have a large number of deputies appointed, which adds materially 

 to the efficiency of the fire-fighting force of the department. In visiting 

 the different towns our district forest wardens have taken especial pains 

 to urge upon the selectmen and forest wardens the necessity of purchasing 

 ample forest fire-fighting equipment. Each district forest warden has 

 under his personal supervision practically 1,250,000 acres, 70 per cent, 

 of which is forested or denuded lands. He also has supervision over the 

 observation stations lying within his district. 



We have had in operation this year 17 observation stations, each station 

 covering practically 300,000 acres. They were placed in operation May 1 

 and were discontinued November 10. 



District No. 1 . — We have had in this district four observation sta- 

 tions. Blue Hill observatory at Milton covers the Blue Hill Reservation 

 and a large area of adjoining forest land. Robbins Hill station in the town 

 of Chelmsford covers a portion of the watersheds of the Concord and Merri- 

 mac rivers. At this station we erected a 30-foot steel tower with a 7-foot 

 square room at the top. We also have a station at Bald Pate Hill, George- 

 town, covering a portion of the North Shore and valuable forest land 

 adjoining. At this station we erected a 30-foot steel tower with a 12-foot 

 room at the top. The owner of Bald Pate Hill contributed one-half 

 toward the purchase price and erection of the tower. We also have a 

 station at Bluff Hill in the town of Sharon, covering the forest area to 

 the Rhode Island line. At this station we have erected a 30-foot steel 

 tower with an 8-foot square room at the top. We have established a 

 temporary station at Wakefield on Castle Rock. This is used during 

 dry and hazy weather, and has been under the supervision of the fire 

 department of Wakefield. Negotiations are now being made to erect 

 a steel tower on Hart Hill in Wakefield, one-half of the expenses to be 

 borne by the town of Wakefield. This station will undoubtedly be estab- 

 lished the coming year. Arrangements have been completed for the loca- 

 tion of an observation station on Morse Hill on the Manchester and Essex 

 line; a 40-foot tower will be erected and a telephone line completed in 

 readiness for the spring work. This station will protect the valuable 

 North Shore property. It is also necessary to establish a station on 

 Nobscot Hill in the town of Framingham, to cover a large tract of territory 

 that we are unable to reach from other stations. With these additional 

 stations, to be established as substations, we shall be able to completely 

 overlook all of District No. 1. 



District No. 2. — In this district we have three stations in operation, — 

 Reservoir Hill in Plymouth, Shoot Flying Hill in Barnstable and Rich- 

 mond Hill in Dighton. At Plymouth we have had the use of the Pljmi- 

 outh observation tower, from which we have been able to cover the 

 towns of Plymouth and Kingston, but I find that a station located on 



