WASTE. 
47 
•country is on fire” it is not one fire but hundreds of separate 
fires, all or nearly all of which have had their origin in careless¬ 
ness. 
4. It is carelessness and not malice, and it is more careless¬ 
ness of letting fires go than of starting them which has resulted 
in the enormous losses. 
5. Forest fires are diminishing in number as settlement pro¬ 
gresses; every road, every clearing, helps to supply barriers, in¬ 
creases the number watching and fighting fires, and assists in 
the work of control. 
6. Forest fires are both prevented and fought in the wild 
forests of India and in all parts of Europe; in localities where 
hundreds of acres of the young sapling pine with their fine 
largely dead and dried up branches (along the lower part of the 
stem), stand so thick that it is difficult to pass and where in ad¬ 
dition poverty and chagrin among a dense population living 
close to the confines ofi the woods furnishes wilful and malicious 
incendiaries. 
To the greater part of the opponents of such enterprise it 
may also be pointed out that for this country experience Is as 
yet almost entirely wanting; that in New York, in Maine, and 
in Canada the fire police has done well and that it is impossible 
for anyone to say at present, just how successful the fire police 
of North Wisconsin will be. Even the little which has of late 
been attempted to educate, remind, and warn the people in 
matters of forest fires has already produced good results. The 
placards sent out by the State Land office, practically without 
cost to the state, have been extensively and judiciously placed, 
the people read them and mind them. In this connection it is 
to be regretted that the good attempts which have been made, 
especially by the lumbermen of the Menominee river, to in¬ 
troduce the burning over of the “works” or choppings through¬ 
out the woods, has not found favor and was abandoned. This 
process, experience shows, costs only 3 to 5 cents per thousand 
feet of logs and would practically put an end to the regular 
slashing fires. In the light of past experience it is clear to all 
