Milford chronicle., 1928-04-06
WILL MAKE WAR ON
STATE FOREST FIRES
rContinned from first paael

C0nttUUCd from lTSb P0gel
Co., Hartley; Holloway Terrace
Volunteer Co., Holloway Terraces
Laurel Fire Co., Laurel; Lewes Fire
Company, Inc, Lewes; Mill Greek
Fire Co., Inc, No. 1, Marshallton
Millsboro Fire Co., Millsboro, Del.
Milton Volunteer Fire Co., Milton;
Minquas Fire Co., Newport; Sea-
ford Volunteer Fire Co., Seaford ;
Selbyville Volunteer Fire Co., Selby-
vile. The members Of the above
companies realizing the damage
caused by woods and grass fires
have signified their willingness to
combat all fires that occur within
their respective localities without
compensation to themselves or their
companies.
These companies are being in
structed by the Forestry Depart
ment in the various methods of
combating woods fires. The de-
partment will supply these COM
panies with forest fire fighting tools
to enable them to do the most eff
fective work.
State Forester Taber states that,
woods fires kill many trees out
right, and lead to other damage Of
ten serious enough to turn timber
growing profit into loss. By making
wounds in the living tissues of trees
fires open up fertile fields for the
growth of reproducing fungO,
which hollow out the trees and
make them defective and easily
thrown by wind. By weakening
the tree, fires make them more sus-
ceptible to attack by insects, which
often cause their death. And, by
burning fire scars or cat faces on
the trunks, each fire gives the next
a better chance to- burn down the
trees.
woods fires reduce the rate Of
growth of the trees. In one in
stance careful investigation showed
that pine trees grew nearly three
times as fast in height on unburned
land as they did on land burned
over annually. Woods fires reduce
the fertility of the soil, they lead |
to rapid run-off of water and to
erosion; they dry up the springs;
they reduce land values and in
crease tax rates by reducing taxable
values.
woods fire drive out fish and
game and destroy the beauty and
of the forest. Groups
If deer huddled together in a little
opening in the forest-all burned
o death, porcupines with quilts
lblaze, quail and other game, birds
Ind their nests destroyed, and dead
ish floating on the ashy waters OFF
he mountain streams, are all too
amiliar sights to the forest ranger,
md mark the annual toll of wild life
AIKEN by the red enemy of the for
st. Few sportsmen realize how
'irds and animals are driven out. by
ire, how coverts and nests are. de-
trOyed, and how the food upon
which wild life depends goes up in
moke when the forest burns. The
7orest Service states that forest
nd game experts have estimated
hat the annual game losses from
re equal the total "bag" of all
he hunters.
Forest and brush fires not. only
estroy the forage upon which, big
anne live, but so scorches and
urns many of the animals that
hey die. A fire sweeping across
he nesting grounds of grouse. and
Their game birds, destroys the, eggs
nd young birds and drives, the, par
mt birds from their home.. Fire
lso spells the fishing, for good
shing depends upon clear. water;
nd when the forest is; destroyed
he resulting erosion fills the
treams and lakes with ashes and
lud and puts an end to, good
port"