REPORT ON FORESTS. loi 



occurred farther south in the State, the extent of which was not 

 observed. It may be safely estimated that the whole area 

 burned over that year reached 200 square miles, or 128,000 

 acres. A large amount of, cedar swamp was destroyed by these 

 fires, and $10 per acre would not more than cover the direct 

 damage to timber, making the loss for the year $1,128,000, 

 nearly equal to the total value of the annual lumber production 

 of the State. 



In 1895 Mr. Gifford reported 49 fires in this district, covering 

 about 60,000 acres, and he estimated the average damage at $10 

 per acre, or $600,000 for the year. Indeed it seems that the 

 average loss for many years past must have been in excess of 

 this figure, and it would appear to closely approximate if not to 

 exceed the yearly increase of value due to the growth of the 

 pine forest. The loss is much more than the mere value of the 

 wood. The soil is so impoverished by these periodical burnings, 

 which deprive it of all vegetable matter, that those areas most 

 subject to fires are becoming incapable of producing timber. 

 Considerable damage is also done to cranberry bogs, cedar 

 swamps and other improved property. 



As to the causes of these fires, it would seem from statistics 

 which have been gathered that approximately one-half are due 

 to sparks from locomotives, about ten per cent, are incendiary 

 in origin and the remaining 40 per cent, are accidental, arising 

 largely from the carelessness of hunters, charcoal burners and 

 persons engaged in clearing land for cultivation. 



In the following 22 pages Mr. Gifford Pinchot gives the 

 results of some careful studies which he has made, first as to 

 the effect of forest fires in general, and next as to the specific 

 effects upon the wood production of our pine forests. 



Incidentally Mr. Pinchot has given us in these pages a fair 

 representation of the present physical condition of much of the 

 pine belt. 



