FIFTH NATlONAIv CONSERVATION CONGRESS 371 



accentuates the necessity for Government, States, counties and municipalities 

 taking a live interest in protection work, and the enforcement of laws intended 

 to prevent disastrous loss. 



When it is remembered that destruction of timber means a field for labor 

 removed, adds to the possibility of high-priced lumber and fire wood in the near 

 future, and causes an increase in taxes on other classes of property, it is evident 

 that the public has a decided interest in not allowing destruction of forest 

 resources, and can well afford as a public measure to, so far as possible, safe- 

 guard the crop. In many sections the farmer is directly interested because of 

 the effect of forest cover on his supply of water for irrigation purposes ; while in 

 other cases cities or towns require tliat the watersheds of streams from which 

 their water supply comes be kept in forest. 



In a sense less important than the influences mentioned, but still a most 

 important function of forests, is the protection and shelter they afford wild 

 animals and fish, and the influence they have on the tourist traffic of a community. 



It is an undisputed fact that since systematic prevention methods have been 

 put in operation by the Federal Government, States, and private owners, loss 

 through fire has been greatly reduced. Educational work has also played an 

 enormous part in preventing the needless starting of forest fires. 



A great fire to-day would be considered a calamity even though no lives 

 were lost. The Miramichi, Chisholm and Flickley fires, while doing great damage 

 to timber, caused necessarily the greatest concern because human lives were lost. 

 The destructive fires of 1910 saw a fuller appreciation by the country at large 

 of the enormous loss of standing timber, though loss of life was also appalling. 

 With present preventive measures and means for quick detection of fires, the 

 possibility of losses such as have been sustained in the past are greatly reduced, 

 though not entirely eliminated. 



It is a matter of interest to note that in sections where fires can be most 

 easily eliminated here even the little effort required to prevent them is not gen- 

 erally taken. Where danger is great and the cost of protection correspondingly 

 high, the best and most efficient work is carried on. The yellow pine regions of 

 both the South and West have been the last to install fire patrols, and in most 

 cases have not yet taken such action. Here protective measures have every 

 chance of being successful at small cost. 



In but few cases have States taken the lead in bringing about better regula- 

 tions of the fire menace. When State assistance and support in the work has 

 been forthcoming, it has been necessary, as a rule, for public-spirited citizens 

 and timber owners to spur the State to action, and often the necessary steps have 

 been taken with reluctance. 



CO-OPERATIVE VS. INDIVIDUAL CONTROL. 



THE replies received by the sub-committee from different sections of the 

 country, in answer to the question, "What is your opinion as to the 

 efficiency of co-operative versus individual patrol?" were almost unani- 

 mously in favor of co-operative patrol. 



The first co-operative patrol, so far as our information goes, was organized 



