320 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



obtains a better grade of men and of work than was formerly possible. 

 That such results would be obtained here cannot be doubted, especially in 

 view of the success of the present reimbursement act elsewhere referred to. 

 Aside from the above financial considerations, the value of our wood- 

 lands in other ways makes their protection imperative. No forester, 

 and, for that matter, no person of ordinary powers of observation who 

 has given any thought to the subject, can doubt the value of woodland 

 as a retainer of the soil, a regulator of the stream flov/, a cover for game, 

 and a pleasure resort for the people. For these reasons alone, if the timber 

 had no financial value, the woodland should be preserved. This has been 

 said so many times as perhaps to weaken its f orce^ but the observer need 

 only look at such countries as France and China to be convinced of its 

 truth; and the time is coming, and it is not far distant, when the people 

 of the State will learn to use the woodland more and more as a place of 

 recreation, as is the custom in foreign countries like Germany, where the 

 tired city dweller takes his family with him to spend his holiday in the 

 woods, and returns invigorated and refreshed. 



Respectfully submitted, 



M. C. HUTCHINS, 



State Fire Warden. 

 Boston, Mass., Nov. 30, 1912. 



Suggested Changes in Tree Warden Law. 

 The time is here, it is believed, when our cities and towns can 

 ill afford not to have a trained man in their employ who has a 

 practical working knowledge of forestry. We have been improv- 

 ing our conditions year by year. The old fire ward plan has 

 been changed to the present forest warden system, and the local 

 moth superintendents' work has been systematized so that it is 

 improving each year. It now remains to readjust our tree warden 

 law so that a trained man may be appointed who will be held 

 responsible for getting results. There is no intention of casting 

 any reflection upon the present tree wardens, as they have in 

 most cases had little or no money to do with, and towns and 

 cities have shown indifference to the position. There is also 

 confusion in the minds of many between the duties of forest 

 warden, moth superintendent and tree warden, which is perfectly 

 natural. Many towns feel that the tree warden, by virtue of 

 liis election, must have the moth work to superintend, regardless 

 of whether he has abilities in that direction or not. These mis- 

 understandings have been unfortunate, for in order to get best 

 results the work should not only be well done but should also 



