No. 4. 



REPORT OF STATE FORESTER. 



517 



structed. This station protects the Harvard School holdings of several 

 thousand acres. 



A wooden tower, with 1 mile of telephone line, has been installed on 

 Cran Pond Hill in Ashfield. This is one of several stations that are needed 

 in western Massachusetts to protect the large forest areas in that portion 

 of the State. 



The observation towers have again demonstrated their value in the 

 large number of fires reported and extinguished in their incipiency. The 

 following comparative statement of forest fires during the year 1911 with 

 those of 1914 is very interesting, the 1911 loss being before the present 

 fire lookout system was established. 



These figures are very significant. The period of drouth was more 

 serious and considerably longer in 1914 than in 1911, thereby making the 

 fire danger much greater. In studying this table you will note that we 

 had 645 more fires in 1914 than in 1911, but that our damage was reduced 

 nearly $450,000 in 1914. Again, the average damage per fire in 1911 was 

 S226.24 as against $29.98 this year. 



While we have had some large fires, they are not chargeable to the 

 inefficiency of our observers or to their neglect of duty. I have in mind 

 an instance where the observer called up the town forest warden, giving 

 him the exact location of a fire which was just starting. The warden, 

 being doubtful, telephoned two or three parties near the location of the 

 fire and received the reply that they were imable to discover any fire. 

 Two hours later he received a telephone call stating that the fire had then 

 covered 50 acres. The outcome was that 500 acres were burned over. 



We have had an unusually large number of visitors to the towers this 

 year, and I believe that when pleasure-seeking automobilists become 

 familiar with our roads leading to within a few minutes' walk, and in 

 manj^ cases directly to the towers, this number will be materially increased. 

 Our towers are nearly all equipped with stairs, so that they are accessible 

 to any one. We are always pleased to have the public visit them, not 

 only because of the pleasure they may derive from the beautiful scenery 

 for miles around, but also from an educational standpoint. Our observers 

 are always very courteous and take pleasure in explaining our system, 

 giving visitors a comprehensive idea of what the State is endeavoring to 

 do to suppress our forest-fire evil. 



