Canadian Forestry Journal, December, ipi6 869 



roadways, around their camps, and limits of public highways must be dis- 

 along some of the most used trails, it posed of, and anyone cutting timber ad- 

 would go a long way toward bringing joining the public road, railroads or 

 down the fire hazard. Experience in- other woodland property, must clear 

 dicates that this can be done at a cost free from slash a strip forty feet wide 

 which is very small when compared along such highways, railroads and 

 with the probable reduction in timber other woodland property. This law 

 losses. A Minnesota lumberman, one has met with public approval from the 

 of the biggest operators in the Middle start. The State Forest Act created 

 States, objected very strongly to the a State Forest Gornmission. This 

 imposition of a state requirement of Commission has already purchased 8,- 

 brush disposal, but after one or two 000 acres for State Forests and 4,000 

 years' trial he so endorsed the idea that acres more are soon to be taken over, 

 he voluntarily applied it to all his pri- A^ermont, New Hampshire and Connec- 

 vately-owned limits. ticut also have State Forests, but all of 



The Ed'tor of the Journal discussed the State Forests of New England com- 

 with the heads of several lumber and bined would be lost in one of the big 

 pulp companies the question of making State Forests in Pennsylvania. 

 a beginning in clearing up dangerous While it is admittedly better for a 

 debris. In all cases the companies State itself to own its large woodland 

 had had orders in effect for some years areas, there are cases where it is ad- 

 requiring ? Spring clearance about visable for the Federal Government to 

 camps, and in one case a good deal had take them in charge. Such was the 

 been done to remove inflammable ma- situation in New Hampshire, where a 

 terial from along the edges of driving comparatively poor State contained 

 streams. As in the question of fire such an extensive area as the White 

 protection, however, the companies Mountain region, the protection of 

 hesitate to inaugurate at their own ex- which meant so much to the adjoining 

 pense improvements such as partial States. The whole of New England 

 Ijrush disposal when neighboring li- has felt the wisdom of the policy 

 censees follow no such programme, which the Weeks law has put into ef- 

 Were the provinces to insist upon feet. To-day the Government owns 

 brush disposal along roadways, etc., in in New Hampshire over 300,000 acres 

 a limited and reasonable degree, there which will always be managed as Na- 

 does not seem much likelihood that the tional Forests. By the time the Gov- 

 willing co-ooeration of lumber com- ernment completes its purchases, we 

 panics would be long delayed. shall have probably twice that area, 



The Dominion Forestry Branch ap- which will always be held open to the 

 plies a brush disposal clause in all public and in trust for future genera- 

 operations on the Reserves, and the tions. — "Forest Leaves. 

 Canadian Pacific Railway in its private 



)! 



timber lands of the A\ est has doiie a j^^^ f^j.„^ woodlots of the United 



good deal m the same direction The ^^^^^^ contain about 10 per cent, of the 



C. P. R. Forestry Department does not ^otal standing timber in the country, 



dispose of all the slash^but the worst ^^^^ ^^^ ^^^,^^^^1 product from them is 



hazards are burned. Thus, in heavv 



about $195,000,000. 



growths of spruce along the streams, „ .... , ,■,■,■ ^ 

 where the roads necessarilv run. the . ^f "^'^^l^ ^^'l^ hundred ninety- 

 completion of logging witnesses the -^l-^ thousand acres have now been pur- 

 burning of all th? debris left Iving ^/^^^^^ ^%,7^l°"^! ^°T,'^. P^H^ose^ ^n- 

 along the river and the roadside. The 'l^' ^^'^ . ^J^^ ^V"\''' ^^^.^^^''^^ 

 river and road act as good fire guards Mountain and Appalachian regions, 

 during the burning operations. A portion of the half million dollars' 

 worth of French briar imported annual- 



„, , _ . ,ir , Iv by the United States for the manu- 



Slash Law in Massachusetts. (^^^^^^^ ^^ pjp^^ ^^,-^^ ^^^^ ^^ replaced 



The Slash Law in Massachusetts re- by the use of mountain laurel roots 



quires that all brush cut within the from the Southern Appalachians. 



