NEW BRUNSWICK FORESTRY CONVENTION 163 



been made, however, is the necessity of properly guarding our forests against 

 fires. It is a matter of common knowledge that throughout the larger por- 

 iion of the lumber regions in this latitude fire has done as much, or more, 

 injury than the axe, and in the future the danger is even greater than in the 

 past, unless proper care is exercised. It is almost impossible to control a 

 -.forest fire of any great magnitude, but it is feasible and inexpensive to guard 

 against any such fires even having started. At all exposed points or 

 'thoroughfares or routes through which sportsmen or woodsmen pass, which 

 may be regarded as gate-ways to the forest, patrols should be located dur- 

 ing the drought seasons, in order, particularly, to caution the people passing 

 to and fro and to extinguish any small fires before they shall have gained 

 any great headway. The periods for patrolling are comparatively short, 

 ^usually not exceeding three or four weeks in the Spring and a like period in 

 the Fall. It appeals to me that there is no one expenditure that a govern- 

 ment can make that is likely to be of benefit to future generations like that 

 of guarding our forests against fires, and I earnestly urge that the Forestry 

 'Convention about to assemble in New Brunswick shall discuss ways, means 

 .and methods of best controlling fires or guarding against their having even 

 occurred. The interests with which I am connected in your Province will 

 Tae glad to join with you in any efforts you may make in this respect. In 

 fact, we expect to locate patrols at our own expense each season at exposed 

 points about our fee, as well as our leased lands, and. while the saving may 

 : ~be directly to our benefit, indirectly the benefits to the Province must neces- 

 sarily be very great. 



Trusting that your convention will be productive of great good, and 

 again regretting my inability to be present, I am. 



Very truly yours, 



CHAS. E. OAK. 



GENERAL DISCUSSION 



MR. BURCHILL There was one point, Mr. Chairman, in that very 

 Interesting paper you have just read, upon which I would like to hear a 

 discussion' by the Members of the Convention; it is this, in the Goverment 

 regulations, the minimum size of trees to be cut is 18 ft. long and 10 inches 

 aUhe top. 1 notice that in Mr. Oak's paper, he refers to the minimum 



