WEST VIRGINIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 



343 



since after 2 years' experience we find the men more interested 

 in the ivork, and much more capahle of control.'^ 



It will be observed from the foregoing that most of the for- 

 estry laws, so far enacted, are in reference to the control of 

 forest fires. Some of these are mentioned in the ''Fifth Annual 

 Report of t he Forest Park Reservation Commission of New 

 Jersey" (1909) as follows: 



"The minimum rate of pay for fighting fire is found to 

 be a good feature of the law. Helpers when fighting fire are 

 allowed $1 for five hours, or less, and twenty-five cents per hour 

 thereafter. A man who gets as much for half an hour's work 

 as for five hours will be apt to hurry and try hard to put out a 

 fire before it becomes serious. 



"A permit must be obtained before any fire can legally be 

 made within 200 feet of a forest at any time of year. It has 

 been necessary to limit these permits to seven days but fire 

 wardens are authorized to issue renewals, to send them by mail, 

 and in every way to hamper trustworthy citizens as little as 

 possible. If a man is known to be careless a permit may be 

 withheld until the warden thinks it safe for him to bum, or it 

 may be denied altogether." 



The last effort of the Forest Commission has been directed 

 toward the control of railroad fires through the construction of 

 wide fire lines along every railroad which traverses woodland. 

 The railroad fire lines are described thus: "TVliat are regarded 

 as the essential features are the bared strip, ordinarily ten feet 

 wide, and the thinning, not total removal, of the fortst between 

 the bared strip and the roadbed. The bared strip located 100 

 feet from the nearest rail is intended to be an automatic fire 

 check. From its whole length and width every bit of vegetation 

 and inflammable matter is to be removed and the mineral soil 

 exposed and so maintained. Between this strip and the road- 

 bed the ground is simply cleared of grass, brush, &e.. by mow- 

 ing or burning, or both, and the trees, where they form thickets, 

 thinned out. The intention is to leave all trees that are three 

 inches in diameter and not less than six feet apart. 



**A fire line like this is supposed to work thus: If sparks 

 ,are tlrqown from a locomotive stack, the foliage of the trees 



