FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSIONER. 59 



over the Adirondack and Catskill forests and quite effectively carried out. 

 Nearly all the lumber companies and those felling trees cheerfully complied 

 with the provisions. In a few cases legal proceedings had to be commenced 

 to enforce the law. It has taken much time of our men to inspect the work 

 and thereby made considerable extra expense. But the end sought justifies 

 the means. It needs no argument for a practical man or careful observer 

 to understand its effectiveness. That would be so even did we not have 

 marked examples of the results. Fortunately we have such examples. 

 About ten years ago, on the Whitney preserve, for two years some logging 

 jobs were handled as the law now prescribes ; others were carried on in the 

 old and ordinary way, leaving all the limbs on the unused tops. A careful 

 inspection of those jobs, many of which we photographed, shows that where 

 the limbs were all cut off they and the tops have entirely rotted and dis- 

 appeared, while the tops on the other jobs not cut flat down are many of 

 them there yet high and dry from the ground in a condition to add materially 

 to great conflagrations if a fire once gets started among them. 



The protests of the few who seem to think top-lopping of no account, 

 in this respect must give way when confronted with these facts. Then, 

 too, it has been found not to be expensive, as more timber is taken from 

 many tops when the limbs are all cut off, and the greater ease and facility 

 in skidding amply pays for the extra work. In view of the fact that in a 

 large degree fires are local, that is, nearly always where lumbering has been 

 done, this lessening of the danger and added preventative is important. 

 Even though it does cost more, the expense is fully reimbursed in the greater 

 security from loss by fire to the property, because what is left on the ground 

 will cease to be a menace in two or three years, as against the old method 

 when it extended from eight to ten years. 



No one of sound mind desires to put any unnecessary hindrance in the 

 way of legitimate business, yet when the general public welfare requires it, 

 even legitimate business must give way. 



The other provisions of the fire law were put into force. A paid patrol 

 was established ; great care was taken to select men of the broadest experi- 

 ence, good judgment, and those posssesed of a strong personal desire to 

 protect our forests. The work required to be done in the short time given 

 after the bill became a law was very great. To tear down a fire-fighting 



