88 Third Annual Report of the 



Experiments conducted by the Dupont Powder Company at a 

 meeting of the Eastern States Foresters, held at Wanakena, the 

 past summer, is of much interest. A line of two hundred feet in 

 length was planted with dynamite. The holes were approximately 

 three feet apart, and three-quarters of a pound of dynamite was 

 planted in each at a depth of two feet. All of the charges were 

 connected with an electric detonator. A forest fire was set so as to 

 run through the woods towards the line of charges. Just before 

 the fire reached the line the dynamite was discharged. The result 

 was a V shaped trench about three feet deep and three feet in 

 width at the top and through to the mineral soil. It clearly indi- 

 cated that, under certain circumstances, dynamite could be used 

 to advantage in fire fighting. There are, however, disadvantages 

 in that dynamite and detonators are expensive and heavy to trans- 

 port and the handling of dynamite is dangerous. 



Fires of the Year 



The present year has been conspicuous by the scarcity of rain- 

 fall. The winter of 1912-13 was marked by the almost entire 

 absence of snow. Therefore, there was not the customary supply 

 of soil moisture. This abnormal condition not only continued 

 through the summer, but as the season advanced the rainfall was 

 less frequent. This condition was general throughout the Adiron- 

 dacks and exceptionally severe through the eastern and southern 

 portions of that region. Forest fires always follow scarcity of 

 rainfall. The following table which indicates the fires by months 

 is not only interesting, but indicates the condition during the 

 spring season and its continuance: 



