188 NEW BRUNSWICK FORESTRY CONVENTION 



destroyed enough value in merchantable timber and other saleable property,, 

 so that if this money were out at 4^ interest it would pay for a very fair 

 fire protection from the interest alone. We have cut much timber and yet 

 there is a general belief here among timber men that the fire ate up three 

 times as much merchantable material as was utilized. 



In addition, the fire destroyed the forests, the young growth, the log 

 timber of the future and in this it really did the greatest hurt. 



The Michigan forest, aside from the merchantable stuff, had a potential 

 value, which today is easily $50.00 per acre and this the fire destroyed and 

 our people suffered the loss. 



In 1903 we at last passed a forest fire law, framed like that of Minne- 

 sota, provides for fire wardens, pays nothing for preventing fire and pays 

 only for fighting fire and limits the yearly expense in a township (36 square 

 miles) to $50.00, of this law the State Land Commissioner, who is to execute 

 it, says : "It is not worth the paper that it is written on." 



It puts a premium on having fires and the limit of $50.00 expenses, acts 

 in forest fires exactly as if the chief of a fire department in a city were told : 

 "Hurry and fight the fire, but when you have expended $24.00 you better 

 auit, pick up#your equipment and go home." 



The fundamental principle in this matter of protection is the same in alt 

 forests and in all countries. We have learned two things. 



(a) We should prevent fires by an active patrol, who can also serve to 

 patrol against trespass and game law violation. Part of this patrol is needed 

 only a few months in each year, but each district should have one permanent 

 man. 



V 



(b) The expenses should be in keeping with the importance of the 

 enterprise. No civilized land can afford to allow its forests to burn up. We* 

 have learned that the time when we should have spent our money freely wa* 

 right at the start. Only by a strong well planned and persistent effort can, 

 we overcome the normal as well as the physical obstacles. Once we are on 

 the right path, the matter will be as easy as it is in the Old World, where 

 these things have been done for centuries. No district should spend less 

 than 2 cents per acre for protection alone. 



2. From the inception of our Public Affairs we worked in the direction) 



