Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1890-03-14
FOREST PROTECTION.

considerable When COM red wi.il that
caused by forest fires. Those who are
familiar with the mountains of the far
west have seen the fearful havoc there
wrought by fire, and know long way
of the cause which gives to many lofty
mountains its curious silver gray APP
pearance. For six years after being
burned over, the dead and bleaching
tree trunks stand as witness OF the terri
BILE destruction wrought by carelessness
or malice. The loss of life and proper
ty caused by forest fires in Michigan is
too recent to have been forgotten.
The Importance of this matter has
long been appreciated by those who have
to do with large forest areas. One of the
principal duties of the police of the
National Park is the guarding against
the spread of forest fires, and the value
of their services is shown by the fact
that in the park, Il country especially
liable to this scourge, there were last
year no forest fires of any considerable
magnitude.
The New York forestry commission
recently adopted Il series of rules and
regulations for the protection of the
Adirondack woods, which are as fol-
lows:
First. All persons having occasion
to burn fallOw or start a fire in any
old chopping, wind slash, bush or berry
lot, swamp. YALE or beaver meadow,
for the purpose of clearing or improve
ment, shall give five days notice of such
intention to the nearest fire warden,
forester, or agent of the forest commits
sion. He shall also give notice to any
neighbors who may have fields or wood
lands adjacent and liable to injury, at
least one day previous to the setting of
such fires. Such fires will be permitted
only when the wind is favorable. aud
competent persons must remain on guard
until the fire is completely eXtinguished
on the surface and in the duff.
"Second. All hunters, fishermen,
loggers, guides, tourists and others
lighting fires in or near the forest for
cooking, warmth, insect smudges or
other purposes, must clear away all
combustibe material from within six
feet of the place where the fire is to be
kindled, and must thoroughly stamp
out, drench, or otherwise eXtingush any
, such fire upon leaving it either temper
> arily or permanently; and hunters using
firearms with nhammable waddng are
] hprnhu nnntinnnI unaip-t ol1nu.incr
to start from such causes.
"Third. Smokers are cautioned in
regard to fires arising from any careless
ness of theirs and their attention is call
, ed to the penalty for negligence in caus-
5 ing fires. Parents and teachers are re-
spectfully requested to instruct children
to avoid lighting fires in the forests or
exposed places.
J "Fourth. Feeling standing trees for
their bark for covering camps or sham
ties is hereby prohibited. For such
purposes the tree must be felled. and all
the available bark removed therefrom
, before another tree is cut down. The
, trees thus felled must be utilized for
/ tirewood, and such fallen timber as lies
in the vicinity of the camp must also be
used for tirewood before any green
standing timber is cut for that purpose"
4 The fourth of these rules implies
, measure of license inconsistent with any
high standard of forest conServancy;
/ and, although, so long as no market eX-
4, lists for the timber, it would perhaps be
y a dOg-in-the-mange policy to impose
severe restrictions on the utilization of
forest products by camping parties, it
/ is desirable that restrictions be imposed
r on the barking or Telling of pine or
spruce for any purpose. Camping part
les should bear in mind, too, that the
sanctions implied in the rule cannot ex-
tend to forests in private hands. the
owners of which have a right of action
= for damages for any tree felled on their
= property. These regulations should be
carefully read and remembered by all
! those who contemplate camping out in
n the Adirondacks this summer, and adj
t vantage should not be taken of the lib
j eral spirit in which the fourth rule is
framed, to perpetrate reckless waste.
e Sound growing timber, so situated that
n there is room for its development, should
l never be felled; for, although it has no
4 immediate market value, it may be in
active demand in another decade or two.
- 1t is well known that careless hunters
! start comparatively large number of
the fires which spread and involve large
+ areas, and too much care cannot be eX-
i ercised with regard to the proper selec-
; ton of the spot for the fire, and its
9 thorough extinguishment before leaving
= it. Forest and Stream.
> HAPPY HOOSERS.
= VIM. Timmons, postmaster of Ida