The Fur Animals of Louisiana 263 



mistaken impression that it "improves," or that is some- 

 times his excuse, the food conditions of the marshland. 

 Mostly it is fired so that he can more easily locate the 

 scamper trails of the muskrats, set his traps in them and 

 collect his toll of pelts with a minimum of physical effort. 



Does a fire benefit the vegetation of the marshes? Opin- 

 ions among trappers are almost equally divided on this 

 subject, the slight majority of real trappers are against 

 fires at any time, it should be stated. 



Observation would indicate that a fire on a muskrat 

 marsh is not as disastrous as many maintain. Surveys have 

 shown, in many instances, that fires set at the proper time 

 and in favorable seasons do benfit the marsh. In consider- 

 ing fires, this should be borne in mind : when the first cold 

 weather comes the annual grasses dry and yellow, the new 

 grasses of springtime struggle up through the matted dead 

 growth, and in time add their dried and withered stalks 

 and leaves to the growth of the year before. As a result, 

 a tinderous mass of dry herbage is on the marshes awaiting 

 the spark that will ignite the mass into a roaring and devas- 

 tating conflagration. Once such a fire is started, nothing 

 can stop it, and great damage is liable to be the result. 



On the other hand, should the 'rat rancher fire such 

 dead grass growth at a time when the ground is soaked 

 from rainfall, the fire will sweep over the area he selects 

 for burning, burn off merely the dead grasses on top of the 

 ground, and a minmum of damage is done. Should such 

 fires be started when the earth is dry not only is the matted 

 grass burned but the fire also burns into the peaty soil, 

 not only are underground runways burned out but the musk- 

 rat houses suffer as well. 



Firing of marshes under personal supervision and at 

 the favorable time outlined above proved conclusively that 

 practically no damage was done to the muskrat houses and 

 the animals seeking refuge underground were not harmed 

 in the least, and after the fire had passed on emerged none 

 the worse for the experience. 



