348 



Canadian Forestry Journal, January, ipi6. 



Recommendations for Quebec 



"Summing up in brief the general situation of forest pro- 

 tection in the Province of Quebec, we would recommend, first, 

 of all, furthering the form.ation of the limit holders into co- 

 operative associations ; secondly, increased appropriations from 

 the Provincial Government and co-operative interests for per- 

 manent improvements. Lookout stations carefully located 

 and coupled with telephone communication furnish probably 

 the best assistance to prevent fires getting out of control; and 

 thirdly, that the laws pertaining to forest protection be amend- 

 ed to more restrictive relation towards offenders. I am 

 pleased to report that the Honourable the Minister of Lands 

 and Forests is considering proposed amendments, and we feel 

 that the necessary changes will be made and put in force for 

 the coming season."— Arthur H. Graham, Chief Fire Inspector, 

 Lower Ottawa Forest Protective Association. 



At the request of the Editor of the 

 Journal, Mr. Arthur H. Graham, 

 Manager of the Lower Ottawa For- 

 est Protective Association, prepared 

 the following statement summariz- 

 ing the results in his 1915 operations. 

 The attention of readers is directed 

 particularly to the comments upon 

 the reduction in settlers' fires 

 through prosecutions. 



"We have this season increased 

 our area by 944.640 acres and have 

 now the patrolment of 8,504,320 

 acres. Within the above area there 

 remains -.t one or two small limit 

 holder- -re not members of this 



Associru. :. The figures as given 

 do not include lots taken up by set- 

 lers or other holdings taken out of 

 the limits. 



Rangers and Equipment. 

 Organization. — The total area was 

 divided into four divisions and 49 

 ranger districts. The patrolling was 

 done with 58 rangers and 4 inspec- 

 tors (or Chief Rangers). All rang- 

 ers were equipped with canvas water 

 buckets and fire fighting equipment 

 was stored at convenient places in 

 their districts. The patrolling was 

 done partly on foot, canoe, or with 

 horses. The nature of the district 

 trails and roads being taken into 

 consideration. 10,000 fire posters 

 were used in placarding roads, trails, 



camping grounds, watering places^ 

 etc., and a large quantity of warning' 

 pamphlets were distributed among" 

 settlers located in vicinities border- 

 ing the limits. 



During wet periods rangers were 

 kept busy trail cutting, building fire 

 places, lookout towers and ranger 

 camps and construction of telephone 

 lines. Two hundred and twenty 

 miles of trail were cut and cleared 

 this season. 



Causes of Fires. 

 Fires. — 155 fires were extinguish- 

 ed this season and of that number 

 113 were extinguished without extra 

 labor, or in other words, put out be- 

 fore spreading. They originated as 

 follows : — 



Settlers 79 



Fishermen 15 



Berr}'- Pickers 8 



Squatters 8 



Lightning 6 



Drivers 4 



Hunters . .-.' 4 



Woodsmen 2 



Indians 2 



Railways 2 



Surveyors 1 



Unknown 24 



Settlers' Fires. — The above fig-- 

 ures show that 51% of all fires 

 originated from settlers. This is a 

 considerable decrease over the per- 



