FOREST CONDITIONS IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA. Ill 



forest and fire laws. The fire law of the State should include a regula- 

 tion to compel the railroads to use spark arresters in their locomotives, 

 to keep their rights of way clear of inflammable material, and maintain 

 a patrol to follow trains where fires are most liable to occur. The law 

 should prohibit also the burning of brush during dry spring weather, 

 except under proper restrictions. JSTotices calling attention to the dan- 

 ger from fire and the penalties for violation of the State law should be 

 posted by the fire wardens in conspicuous places throughout the region. 



The owners of forest land should be most vitally interested in the im- 

 provement of forest conditions, thereby increasing the yield of their 

 own forests, but they are unfortunately in many cases indifferent or 

 inactive. They should aid the State authorities in fire protective 

 work. Where large holdings are grouped more or less closely together, 

 they should form cooperative fire protective associations and employ 

 patrolmen when the fire danger is most serious. They should aid in 

 the posting of fire notices, provided by the State, and prevent serious 

 fires by the construction of fire lines. In addition to fire protective 

 measures, private owners should endeavor to increase the value of their 

 forest property by cutting so as to encourage the reproduction of the 

 most valuable species. They should further provide for the future crop 

 by the care of young growth during cutting and they should exclude 

 stock from the forest areas during and succeeding logging operations. 

 Such precautions should be taken whether the owner logs the land him- 

 self or sells the standing timber to be logged by another. 



The people of Western North Carolina, whether owners of forest land 

 or not, should endeavor to cultivate a sentiment in each neighborhood 

 in favor of forest protection and against burning the woods. They 

 ^should assist in every way in their power in enforcing the State laws 

 and aiding fire wardens in the performance of their duty. They should, 

 if the stock law is not operative in their locality, use their influence 

 toward the introduction of such a measure. 



