11 



The fire danger caused by the above can be greatly re- 

 duced, however, by educational, resttlctive and pro- 

 hibitive measures. 



TTeed for Adequate Protection 



The standing merchantable timber in the State of 

 California today (1921), at current prices, has a val- 

 ue of approximately |5'00,000, 000. No estimate can be 

 made as to the value of its forests thru indirect be- 

 nefits, namely, regulation of stream flow, lessening 

 of erosion on mountain slopes, and as recreation grounds, 

 Suffice it to say that were it not for the regulative 

 effect of the forests upon the water supply, fruit 

 growing - the paramount industry of Southern Califor- 

 nia - would be utterly impossible. 



Because of the great value of the forest resour- 

 ces of the state, both direct and indirect, they should 

 be utilized with a thought for future production and 

 should be carefully and thoroughly protected from their 

 enemies. Fire, being the greatest enemy of the forest, 

 provided it is not held in leash, should receive the 

 greatest consideration. Therefore, because all of the 

 causes of fire in the forests cannot be removed, some 

 means must be provided for protecting the forests when 

 fires do occur. Shall the endeavor be to keep the for- 

 est floor so free from inflammable material by permit- 

 ting fires to burn over the area periodically that only 



