WASTE. 47 



country is on fire" it is not one fire but hundreds of separate 

 £re8, all or nearly all of which have had their origin in careless- 

 ness. 



4. It is carelessness and not malice, and it is more careless- 

 ness of letting fires go than of starting them which has resulted 

 in the enormous losses. 



5. Forest fires are diminishing in number as settlement pro- 

 gresses; every road, every clearing, helps to supply barriers, in- 

 creases the number watching and fighting fires, and assists in 

 the work of control. 



6. Forest fires are both prevented and fought in the wild 

 forests of India and in all parts of Europe; in localities where 

 hundreds of acres of the young sapling pine with their fine 

 largely dead and dried up branches (along the lower part of the 

 stem), stand so thick that it is difficult to pass and where in ad- 

 dition poverty and chagrin among a dense population living 

 close to the confines of the woods furnishes wilful and malicious 

 incendiaries. 



To the greater part of the opponents of such enterprise it 

 may also be pointed out that for this country experience is as 

 yet almost entirely wanting; that in New York, in Maine, and 

 in Canada the fire pohce has done well and that it is impossible 

 for anyone to say at present, just how successful the fire pohce 

 of [N'orth Wisconsin will be. Even the little which has of late 

 been attempted to educate, remind, and warn the people in 

 matters of forest fires has already produced good results. The 

 placards sent out by the State Land office, practically without 

 oost to the state, have been extensively and judiciously placed, 

 the people read them and mind them. In this connection it is 

 to be regretted that the good attempts which have been made, 

 especially by the lumbermen of the Menominee river, to in- 

 troduce the burning over of the "works" or choppings through- 

 out the woods, has not found favor and was abandoned. This 

 process, experience shows, costs only 3 to 5 cents per thousand 

 feet of logs and would practically put an end to the regular 

 slashing fires. In the Hght of past experience it is clear to all 



