Report of the Forest Commission. 11 



In adjoining States large areas of woodland have been 

 destroyed, while in the great States of the northwest, particularly 

 Minnesota and Wisconsin, there have been forest fires this season 

 which, in extent of area, destruction of timber, and loss of life, 

 have not been equalled in previous records. 



The comparative immunity which our State has enjoyed during 

 the past season is due largely to the system under which the 

 town firewardens and their deputies are organized. It is an 

 admirable plan, and each year further demonstrates its practical 

 value. It is particularly well calculated to deal successfully with 

 the fallow fires of the farmers, from which source mostly all our 

 destructive forest fires have started. These fallow fires are the 

 most dangerous, because they are always started on clearings 

 adjoining timber lands, and, worse than all, are invariably 

 started in a dry time ; the dryer the time the better for the 

 farmer, who always wants to get a " clean burn " on his clearing. 



The printed rules of the Forest Commission, posted everywhere 

 in our woodland districts, require that a farmer who intends to 

 barn a fallow field or piece of brush-land shall give timely notice 

 to the nearest firewarden, so that this official may be present and 

 see that the necessary precautions are taken to prevent the fire 

 escaping from the farmer's land into the neighboring forest. 

 These rules are printed plainly on large placards which are 

 posted conspicuously in hotels, stores, post-offices, schoolhouses 

 and sawmills. For outdoor use the rules are printed on white 

 muslin posters, which are nailed on barns, fences and trees along 

 the trails and " carrys" leading through the forest. Over 10,000 

 copies of these rules are kept posted all the time throughout the 

 Adirondack and Catskill region. As frequent reference is made 

 to these rules in the firewardens' reports, we give here the text 

 of these notices in full : 



LOOK OUT FOR FIRE! 



Rules and Laws. 



Fires for clearing land near a forest must not be started until the 

 trees are in full leaf. Before lighting such fires two days' notice, at 

 least, must be given to the firewarden and occupants of adjoining 

 lands. After such fires are lighted competent persons must remain to 

 guard them until the fire is completely extinguished, and the peisons 



