518 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



Proposed Stations. 

 I am in hopes that during the coming year we shall have sufficient 

 appropriation to install the following observation stations, thereby 

 practically completing our system : — 



Nobscot Hill, Framingham. 

 Great Meadow Hill, Rehoboth. 

 Miscoe Hill, Mendon. 

 Lair Hill, Tolland. 

 Holcomb Hill, Chester. 

 Berlin Mountain, Berlin, New York. 

 Yokun Seat (Pinnacle), Lenox. 

 Mt. Everett, Mount Washington. 



The last three would be maintained jointly by Massachusetts, Vermont, 

 New York, Connecticut and the Federal department. 



Forest-fire Equipment. 



Under an act of the Legislature, passed in the spring of 1910 and a- 

 mended in 1914, appropriating -15,000 annually for forest-fire protection, 

 towns with a valuation of $1,750,000 or less are entitled to 50 per cent, 

 reimbursement on all forest fire-fighting equipment they desire to purchase 

 not exceeding $500, no town being allowed an amount exceeding $250. 

 All forest-fire equipment purchased under this act is approved by this 

 department and placed under the supervision of the town forest warden, 

 subject to inspection at all times by the State Fire Warden or the district 

 forest wardens. 



There are at the present time 165 towns entitled to reimbursement 

 under the act. Of this number, 120 towns have expended a portion, and 

 in some instances all, of their allotment, as is showai in our inventory 

 of equipment on page 50. Nearly all the towns throughout the eastern 

 part of the State that come under the act have taken advantage of it, but 

 we still have many towns in the central and western portions of the State 

 that have not. We hmit the towns to the purchase of equipment that is 

 suitable for forest-fire work, such as motor trucks, fire wagons, pumps, 

 extinguishers, water cans, pails, shovels, brooms, etc. Owing to the fuian- 

 cial condition of many of our smaller towns it has been extremely hard 

 this year to get appropriations for purchasing forest-fire equipment. Our 

 table on page 54 shows, however, that 50 towns have taken advantage 

 of the act and have been reimbursed to the amount of $2,127.05. 



Railroad Fires. 

 It is certainly very gratifying to note the marked impro^'ement that 

 has been made during the past three years by the railroads throughout 

 the Commonwealth in endeavoring to lessen the number of forest fires 



