materials just at the time when fires are most likely to occur, namely 

 in the spring. The removal of this debris may be contrary to the 

 principles of German forest management, because it naturally 

 impoverishes the forest soil, but on the other hand, a part of 

 the forest increment, to the ultimate good of everything concerned, 

 is converted into as fine a grade of sweet potatoes as ever grew. 

 In the course of time, however, these potato fields are allowed to 

 come up in pines and fresh fields are cleared when the pines have 

 been cut. This, fortunately, is easy, because the sand is soft, the 

 stumps do not sprout, but are quickly honey-combed by wood- 

 eating insects, and finally decay. 



Another point of great advantage is that the forest is not 

 continuous, but cut up into parcels with farm lands intervening. 

 The land is also in the form of so-called ''necks," that is, small 

 peninsulas jutting out into bays, or strips of land between small 

 bays or streams. There is only one railroad, which runs straight 

 down the peninsula. This road is ballasted with oyster shells 

 and ditched on both sides. What, however, is most important in 

 reference to the fire question is the fact that the people are an 

 honest and law-abiding set. The truth is, the shameful condition 

 of our forests is, as Dr. Fernow says, a question of morality. 

 In regions inhabited by a wild, heterogeneous set of half-starved 

 rogues you will find forest fires and full jails. The great question 

 in connection with American forest fires is not how to extinguish, 

 but how to prevent them. The employment of wardens to ex- 

 tinguish fires is like caring for the sick in a typhoid epidemic 

 without purifying a contaminated water supply.* Time spent in 

 extinguishing forest fires is to a, certain extent time lost, because 

 there ought be no fires to extinguish. The real work of the 

 forester does not begin until fires are stopped. The prevention 

 of fires, or at least all fires except those accidentally, unavoidably 

 set, belongs to detectives, sheriffs and the courts. The first step 

 in the prevention of fires is the conviction and punishment of all 

 persons or corporations guilty of causing them. Well-enforced 

 laws of this kind will reduce the record seventy-five per cent. 

 The forest owners, being encouraged by the prospect, will be 

 less apathetic. After fires are stopped Nature, with a little help, 

 will do the rest, as she does on the peninsula of Virginia. It is 

 not so much a question of forestry as it is of justice. The same 

 applies to other industries as well. 



JOHN GIFFORD. 



* The best way to keep a garden clean is never to let the weeds start. 



