196 



Canadian Forestry Journal, September, igij. 



over and even to burned-over lands, in 

 order that the young forest growth may 

 have an opportunity to reach maturity. 

 Especially in Ontario, considerable areas 

 of cut-over limits are abandoned every 

 year by the limit-holders, and left with 

 little or no protection from fire. Re- 

 peated fires upon such lands turn them 

 rapidly into a non-productive or desert 

 condition. Such lands should be the 

 especial care of the Crown, thus ensur- 

 ing the perpetuation of the forest and 

 thereby the perpetuation of forest rev- 

 enues and forest industries. For the 

 most part, we are now subsisting upon 

 capital, which must necessarily become 

 exhausted in time. The restocking of 

 the cut-over lands will to a large extent 

 take place naturally, in time, if repeated 

 fires are prevented. 



7. The reduction of the fire hazard 

 through safe disposal of inflammable de- 

 bris. 



All the above features of the fire-pre- 

 vention programme are more or less 

 inter-related and inter-dependent. It is. 



however, with the latter this article is 

 especially concerned. 



There is now a well-recognized and 

 well-supported movement for the pre- 

 vention of city fires through the elimina- 

 tion of unnecessary hazards. Similarly, 

 the railways and other industrial con- 

 cerns have made much progress, through 

 the "safety first" movement, in the di- 

 rection of avoiding unnecessary acci- 

 ■ dents and loss of life. The movement 

 for the more effective prevention of un- 

 necessary forest fires is just as logical 

 as either of the above, and is equally a 

 part of the general tendency toward 

 "safety first" in all lines on endeavor 

 affecting life or property. 



The slash disposal problem has some- 

 times been considered as if it related 

 only to lumbering slash. This, however, 

 is not the case, and it may be of interest 

 to consider some other angles of the 

 situation as well. 



(a). Debris on railway rights-of-way. 

 In former times, and more especially 

 (Continued on page 204.) 



>irT--'- ^ ^ 



•''-j^^*** ^' 



An unlopped spruce top. Such objects in a forest 

 constitute a grave danger. Held up from the ground the 

 branches retain their inflammability for twenty or more 

 years. In case of ground fire they not only supply fresh 

 fuel but are apt to carry fire into the tops of adjacent trees. 



