298 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



people do not generally know of its existence, or they are 

 unwilling to tax themselves for the support of this useful 

 piece of machinery. 



If an 3^ one doubts the need of seriously grappling with this 

 fire problem, let him ])ut consider the losses which the State 

 sustains yearly' from this cause. Our average loss is con- 

 servatively estimated at from $100,000 to $150,000. In 

 1895 nearly $50,000 worth of buildings were destroyed in 

 the path of woodland fires. In 1899 returns were secured 

 on 13G fires in 45 cities and towns, and these it was found 

 burned over an area of 6,960 acres. There were known to 

 have been many other fires throughout the State during that 

 year, but reliable returns could not be secured regarding 

 them. The immediate loss from the 136 fires on standing 

 and corded wood amounted to $58,173, and on buildings 

 which stood in the path of fires to $23,530 ; this makes a 

 total loss of $81,703. This does not include the cost of 

 labor employed in fighting the fires, which amounted to not 

 less than $5,000. 



In 1900 the State Fire Marshal secured ofiicial returns 

 from 59 cities and towns, showing 229 woodland fires, with 

 a total present loss, exclusive of labor, amounting to 

 $232,071. This includes the loss on standing and corded 

 wood and on buildings standing in the course of fires. 



These present losses do not, however, begin to cover the 

 actual damages. Testimony secured from owners of timber 

 and woodland in various parts of the State shows that even 

 the lightest of leaf fires causes damage to growing trees 

 which cannot be estimated in dollars and cents. It is the 

 general opinion that, while light fires running in the dead 

 and fallen leaves do little injury to old oaks and other thick- 

 barked trees, such fires do kill quantities of valuable white 

 pine seedlings, and they also set back for a year or two young 

 deciduous seedlings. Oak, maple, birch and beech under 

 fifteen years old are easily killed by a moderately hot fire, 

 and much older trees are seriously injured and mature pine 

 even killed by them. A forest will not wholly recover from a 

 severe fire in thirty years. Not only is the growth damaged, 

 but the soil is greatly impoverished by a hot fire. One in- 

 stance may be cited where a good crop of fifteen-year-old 



