398 ECONOMICS OF FORESTRY. 



forest in the Santa Cruz Mountains for a public 

 park ; such reservation, however, is only distantly 

 and indirectly a part of forest policy. 



We have again and again referred to the first 

 and foremost obligation of the state and the most 

 urgent and important need of reform in the treat- 

 ment of our woodlands, namely protection against 

 fires. There is so far no state as yet fully doing 

 its duty in this direction, although tolerably effec- 

 tive beginnings have been made in several states. 

 The first comprehensive forest fire law, drafted 

 by the writer, was enacted in New York in 1885 

 in connection with the establishment of a forest 

 commission. This law for the first time recognized 

 the need of officers responsible for the execution 

 of the law and of a well-organized army of fire 

 wardens throughout the state. The states of 

 Maine, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, 

 and Minnesota followed, with some modifications, 

 this example of New York. The most complete 

 forest fire law is probably that of Minnesota, 

 enacted in 1895, which is, like the others, however, 

 only partially effective on account of deficient 

 appropriations and limited functions of the com- 

 missioner or fire warden.^ 



It would appear from all experience now accu- 

 mulated by the officers in charge of the execution 



1 For a full discussion of this phase of forest policy, with reprint 

 of the Minnesota law, see II. R. Doc. No. i8i, 55th Cong. 3d 

 sess. pp. 183-189. 



