Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-03-31
Forest Guardians
(Continued from Pace One)


that this informal cooperation was Of
more good than it would be if each
fire warden was also fish and game
warden.
Mr.. Parsons said that there is a
dignity and interest in working for
the State, that a person engaged IN
this sort of work is working for the
people as a whole and for the future
rather than for the benefit of some
individual, and that in helping to save
the forests upon which the prosperity
of the State of Maine rests. it gives
the members of the force a feeling
Of satisfaction ADORE that which
comes from purely monetary compen-
SatiOn.
Hon. Frank e. Mace Speaks
Frank Z. Mace, former Forest Com
missioner, then gave 4 brief impromp-
tn talk in which he commented very
favolpbly on the preceding talk and
emphasized strongly the necessity of
fostering a spirit of watchfulness
among the people of the State rather
than depending upon the law to save
the forests
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| Forest Insects and their Control"
was the subject upon which Henry
Il. Peirson. forest entomologist for the
State, spoke and his talk developed
many things that were of interest He
said that there is seldom tree that
dies from old age, that most of them
die from diseases or insect attack.
OF these 90 per cent. die from the at
tackS of insects. This insect attack
shows up many times in the form of
an epidemic such as we have recently
had with the widespread destruction
lof the spruce and pine from the spruce
budworm.
He likened an insect outbreak to a
fire, in that it can be easily stamped
out If discovered in time but if al
lowed to assume great proportions the
chances Of stamping i. out are very
slight. A brief history of forest out
breaks in 1878. 1S10-S0. and 1910 was
given to show how an outbreak starts
up and assumes great proportion. He
then gave definite methods for furt her
,ou'H reaks and expressed the hope tat
the forest wardens would keep the
areas i'll which the forest insects were
becoming a menace. In this way they
might put into effect control meas
ures that would prevent the spread of
insects over larger areas.
Fire Law Enforcement
Hon. William H. Fisher, deputy
attorney general. led an interesting
discussion on Fire Law Enforce
ment." He answered questions re-
garding the law enforcement, telling
the meaning of these laws and what
the wardens should do to enforce
them. The authority of the wardcns
to mako efforts, how TO secure war
rants, how to make arrests, in what
courts to bring offenders. and where
and how to secure cooperation of
) county attorneys. He laid special
emphasis on the fact that it is
against the law to build a fire on
land owned by another without the
consent of the owner, as well as
against the law to leave any fire
burning when breaking camp. 1t is
often thought that it is all right to
build fires on the land of others if
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guide, but this is Il mistake.
At this time recess was taken
that the warGcns in attendance
might have lunch. This lunch was
served to the members at the Au-
gusta House.
Lookout Stations and Patrols
In the afternoon the first speak
Ell was John T.. Mitchell, chief for
est fire warden.
MI Mitchell spoke of the lookout
stations and patrols and in this res
pect he said that contrary to the
usual idea the fire stations should
not usually be upon the highest
mountain in a district as it was often
SO haZy that the entire district can
: not be seen. He mace a point of
the fact that the lookout stations
should be situated that they can see
the whole of the district to be pro-
, tected. He explained the need of
having q good telephone connection
between the lookout station and the
chief wardens office and in having
trustworthy men in the various look
outs.
He stated that he thought that
=. patrols are u very important ad-
junct to the lookout stations and
that they are especially important III
those areas which are inaccessible or
where there many hunters and fisher
men, such as along streams and auto
roads and about lakes. He also
i pointed out the ACCESSIBILITY of put
ting out temporary patrols during
particularly dry periods and on
week ends and holidays when there
are an especially large number OF
people in the woods.
ri. c. Hutchins of Massachusetts,
NJ. c. Hutchins, Chief Forest Fire
Warden, State Conservation Com
mission for Massachusetts, was the
next speaker. Mr.. Hutchins was
| formerly conservation commissioner
for the state of New York. He
called attention to the difference III
the fire conditions in Massachusetts,
and in the most of Maine and said
that for that reason different me-
thods of fighting fires was necessary
in the two states. In most of the
towns in Massachusetts. they rely on
small hand chemical eXtinguishers.
small pals equipped with hand
pumps and wire brooms. He felt
that these would not work so well
There and that we must depend more
upon shovels. mattocks and axes.
Mr.. Hutchins recommended that
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