IN New Orleans Welcomes the International Association of Fire Engineers N the limited amount of space which the daily newspapers have been giving to subjects other than the European war, room has been found for numerous items regarding a few cases of bubonic plague, discovered some weeks ago in the city of New Orleans. As a result, uncertainty as to the advisability of visiting that city has been felt by fire chiefs and others desirous of attending the convention of the International Association of Fire Engineers, Octo ber 20-23. It is a pleasure to report that the latest advices show that such uncertainty need no longer exist. In a telegram to Secretary McFall, of the Association, dated September 12, 1914, Mayor Martin Behrman says: "Happy to tell you not a case of plague in New Orleans to-day." The unhappy expression on the countenance of the bubonic plague germ, in the accompanying cartoon, is, therefore, fully justified by the facts. County On this and the next two pages are illustrated six types of automobile fire apparatus in use by municipal and county fire departments NOTT MOTOR HOSE WAGON RECENTLY DELIVERED TO THE CITY OF VICTORIA, B. C. AMERICAN LA-FRANCE COMBINATION CHEMICAL AND HOSE MOTOR CAR, BATTLE CREEK, MICH, ROBINSON TRIPLE COMBINATION PUMPING ENGINE IN SERVICE AT RED BANK, N. J. AHRENS-FOX TRIPLE COMBINATION FIRE ENGINE IN OPERATION This engine has recently been bought for Baltimore County, Md. A FORESTER'S HOUSE IN THE SIHWALD, CITY FOREST OF ZURICH, SWITZERLAND Town Forests a European Idea by Which America Might Profit Ꮤ By Harris A. Reynolds Secretary, Massachusetts Forestry Association HENEVER we speak of "town forests" we naturally think of Germany, where such forests have generally been most highly developed. Notwithstanding its autocratic form of government, Germany has in the town or communal forest an enterprise which is thoroughly democratic. The town forest belongs to the people, and the profits therefrom go into the common treasury. Before discussing these forests we should show how they were acquired. To determine this is not always easy, because many of them were owned by the people as far back as the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, and few definite records were kept in the beginning. As a general thing most of these forests were obtained in one of four ways: 1. The feudal lords originally controlled the forest lands, and certain rights to the use of the forests were granted to the people by these masters, which rights resulted in public ownership when the lords were deposed or destroyed. 2. The monasteries and convents owned large tracts of woodland which were confiscated by the local governments during religious upheavals. 3. Wealthy members of the aristocracy in more modern times made gifts to the people of extensive forest areas, which became town forests. 4. The lands were bought by the towns and paid for by direct taxation. These forests differ widely in many respects, depending on the ideas of the forester in charge, the soil and the topography. Different systems of regeneration and of cutting are adopted to meet local conditions. A description of one of these forests, which has reached a fine state of development, will give some conception of what the typical forest is aiming to become. The forest of Forbach is one of the best, though many compare favorably with it. |