330 



FORESTRY IN THE STATES. 



locust, osage orange and catalpa. Every precaution is taken to 

 avoid forest fires in the reservation. Several fire roads are 

 maintained and a fire lane snrroimding tlie whole tract has 

 recently been made. As a further safeguard against fire no 

 smoking or hunting is allowed at any time of the year. A tele- 

 phone is kept up for the purpose, in part, of giving alarm in 

 case of fire. 



Persons responsible for the destruction of property in any 

 part of the state caused by forest fires, carelessly or accident- 

 ally set, are made liable under the law to a fine not exceeding 

 $50, for each offense and for full damages sustained by the 

 owners. Road supervisors are fire wardens and are empowered 

 to summon all necessary help for the purpose of extinguishing 

 fires within their jurisdiction. 



There are no extensive forest areas in the state. Practi- 

 cally all the woodland is in the form of small woodlots. These, 

 in many cases, have been closely pastured and are in poor con- 

 dition for the production of wood. 



The following extract taken from the Ninth Annual Report 

 of the Board of Forestry sets forth the policy that is to be In- 

 sisted on: 



''The problem of the future of the forests of Indiana is 

 merely the problem of securing the proper handling and care 

 of the woodlots and small timbered areas held by individual 

 owners. If such areas are wisely handled and conservatively 

 lumbered there is no reason why they should not for years yield 

 a steady and increasing income and at the same time show a 

 steady and marked increase in quality and value. In other 

 words, the problem of the future timber supply in the state is 

 very largely a problem of education. ************ 

 The real peril lies in the fact that the process of education is 

 a very slow one and that existing timber areas may be greatly 

 reduced in value or completely destroyed before a knowledge 

 of the better methods has become common property. ' ' 



Rapid progress has been made in recent years in creating 

 a sentiment favorable to better methods of handling woodland. 

 Considerable time is given to the teaching of forestry in ':he 

 public schools. The press has been active in promoting fores- 



