1-1^ Canadian Forestry Journal, July, 1917 



Canadian Portable Homes for France 



During a discussion in the House 

 of Commons recently. Sir Geo. E. 

 Foster, Minister of Trade and Com- 

 merce, replying to a ciuestion about 

 ready-built houses for France, said: — 

 "The matter was brought to my at- 

 tention, and I took it up with the de- 

 partment and had the woodworkers 

 plan certain houses. After these plans 

 were made it was thought better — 

 and under my advice it was done— 

 to send the plans to Paris to have 

 them thoroughly looked into and vised 

 as it were, by governmental authority, 

 acting either directly, or through a 

 committee. That was done, and we 

 received modified plans from them for 

 two or three different styles of what 

 we would call shacks, ^to be used 

 temporarily until more permanent 

 buildings could be erected. In every 

 case their plan called for a more 

 elaborate and more costly building 

 than we had planned. Our buildings 

 would cost from $75 to $100, but with 



the improvements, coverings, and th 

 like of that, suggested by the French 

 authorities, they would cost consider- 

 ably more. However, a number of 

 houses were constructed and I got 

 transport for them free of charge to 

 Paris, where they were on exhibition 

 in the Champs Elysees. I myself saw 

 them when I was over there last 

 summer. They had the name of 

 Canada on them, and served to show 

 not only our plan of construction for 

 temporary buildings, of this kin I, but 

 our materials as well, and they were 

 seen by a great many people. But the 

 war has gone on much longer than any- 

 body thought it would, and although 

 we know now what they want and 

 though the plans are in the hands of 

 the woodworkers of Canada, not much 

 is being done at present. They, too, 

 I suppose, are awaiting the proper 

 time. What works directly against 

 them is the absolute impossibility of 

 getting transport for goods." 



A Wisconsin View of Forest Guarding 



Extract from Biennial Report of the State Conservation 

 Commission of Wisconsin for 1915 ank 1916, {P. 79). 



The protection of forests from fire 

 is the first essential in the develop- 

 ment of a forest policy for a State. 

 Past experience has proven that the 

 forests of Wisconsin have suffered 

 great damage from fire at times, and, 

 without question, history will repeat 

 itself in the future, unless a well 

 planned fire organization is developed, 

 to be ready for the real dry season. 



The protection of forests from fire 

 in the north one-half of the State is 

 brought about through an organiza- 

 tion of town fire wardens, as'sistant 

 fire wardens and the protective force 

 of rangers and patrolmen in what is 

 known as the forest reserve region. 

 The town fire warden system is es- 

 tablished by having each town chair- 

 man become ex officio fire warden 



and the road superintendents, assist- 

 ant fire wardens. The chief duties 

 of the fire wardens, of whom there are 

 about 555 in the territory in which 

 there is a fire hazard, are the fighting 

 of fires, instead of prevention and 

 detection. The system of fire pro- 

 tection as applied to the greater part 

 of the State lands or the so-called 

 forest reserve area is one of prevention 

 detection and control. 



The present forest fire organization 

 outside of the protected area is in- 

 adequate since there is no definite 

 plan of detection and prevention. 

 The local wardens usually will wait 

 until fires are upon them before taking 

 any protective measures. From a 

 conservation standpoint, forest fire 

 prevention is the most important 



