The Daily Missoulian., 1912-08-06

and In addition have a variety OF
locations from which to make tneir
| observations. These hikes are pianned
carefully BY the leaaer. care being
made ~, keep near. the woods anu
avoid the villages and towns.
Last year a party OF boy scouts. COW
cred nike OF 100 miles IN the north
west. Twenty boys from one New
York camp hiked across the state to
visit the boys at another camp. Dur
ing the present season the increased
number OF camps have rendered such
exchanges Of courtesIes more frequent.
There is considerable correspondence
between the scout troops of the diff
ferent cities and hikes from one camp
to another are frequent. In one New
York camp hiking has become SO
popular that. while the camp has only
accommodation for 20 boys, 1t has had
un average OF 80 enrolled during the
season, one-third Of the party being
engaged successfully In hiking trips
Of several days duration.
Aside from the activities for their
own pleasure and welfare, there seems
to be no limit to the work which is
being accomplished by the boy scouts
for the public good, 80 that already
the scout movement has proved of
Civic value throughout the country.
The state forest commissioner of
Pennsylvania has given testimony to
the aid rendered by the scouts OF that
state In fighting the chestnut blight
and the forestry department Of New
Hampshire acknowledges their aid In
fighting the forest fires In that state.
Since fire fighting Is one OF the ac-
tivities for which merit badges are
awarded, 1t Is believed that the scouts
will soon become recognized as valu-
able aid In overcoming the fires In
the great northwestern forests.
In Washington. d. ic.. the boy scouts
are giving active help In the anti-dirt
campaign which has been In progress.
They are giving some time every day
to the cleaning up of back yards and
vacant lots and the removal of articles
hurtful to the health of the city. In
Seattle, the scouts are not only clean
Ing up the vacant lots but turning
them to account. They are cultivating
them and raising flowers and vege-
tables which they sell. thereby earn
Ing money to buy their uniforms and
camp equipment.
The scouts OF St Louis are enlist
ing In war against mosquitoes.
More than 1000 boys In that city are
pledged to this work Under the d.
rection OF Scout Master Henry G.
Thompson, they are learning to dis
infect pools and swamps where
mosquitoes breed. One gallon OF
petroleum will cover 1000 square feet
OF water and thus stop the breeding
OF the insects. The task OF oiling
these stagnant waters IL one which
might safely be intrusted to the scouts
because their out-of-d door life has
fitted them for 1t. 1t Is believed that
with their help, the prevalence of
malaria from the disease breeding
mosquito can be almost entirely over
come. In Sioux City, Iowa. the boy
scouts have been enlisted by the health
department In a campaign for the de-
struction OF rats which have been
found to be great carriers for num-
her OF kinds of infectious diseases.
One of the accomplishments included
In scout woodcraft IL bridge building.
The scouts In their hikes frequenty
cut down trees and build bridges over
unfordable streams, which gives many
who come after them reason for
gratitude In number OF states the
scouts have enlisted in the ,gobd roads
giving substantial aid. They
are CO. operating In several New Jer-
sey towns with the Congress Of
Mothers which raises money to supply