88 



ARBORICULTURE 



throe or four furrows wen- turned, out- 

 side the outer fence or field lines, if a 

 roadway was traveled the plowinjj: would 

 1)0 SDUio fifty feet distant from the road, 

 otherwise another line of furrows was 

 plowed, j^arallol with the first. 



After the sjrass upon the prairies was 

 ilead ant! dry. uyKm a ilay when there was 

 little wind, the grass between these fur- 

 rows was burned. Two persons, each 

 armed with a heavy burlap, followed the 

 blaze alono^ the edges of the furrows, to 

 beat out any flame which might threaten 

 to cross the furrows. 



In this way a broad fire line was se- 

 cured, over which fire would not pass 

 except in an extremely high wind. 



Uix)n the discovery of a fire which 

 could be seen approaching, recourse was 

 had to back firing, using the fire guard as 

 a base of operations. • 



FOREST FIRE LINES. 



This plan, modified to meet varying 

 conditions, may be adopted for forest 

 ]:>rotcction. 



In mountainous regions there are usu- 

 ally certain lines which have a less dense 

 growth, if not entirely clear of timber and 

 l)rush. which may be kept clear for fire 

 ])rotection. Usually the summit of di- 

 vide is fairly clear of inflammable ma- 

 terials, or may be made so with mod- 

 erate labor and expense. The topogra- 

 phy of the country- must guide the war- 

 dens in laying out fire lines. Roadways 

 can be utilized, by clearing a space on 

 one side, to form a base for back firing. 



While the densest thickets are usually 

 in the rich bottom valleys, yet a stream 

 mav generally serve as a fire guard, if 

 the banks u]X>n one side are cleared suffi- 

 ciently to prevent burning trees which 

 may fall from communicating the fire. 



The greater the freciuency of these fire 

 lines, the less damage will be done, and 

 more cpiickly can the flames be checked. 



Only natural obstacles, a timely rain, 

 or exhaustion of timber su])|)ly. will check 

 a forest fire when thoroughly under way. 

 Owners of timber lands caimot afford to 

 ignore this fire protection, nor can the 

 railways, nor yet the state, for with a 

 thorough system a few men can check the 

 progress of a fire by back firing, other- 

 wise it mav continue for a hundred miles. 



POLICE I'KOTIXTION 



is necessary to guard property in cities. 

 l*"ire patrols, engines, fire department and 

 ample water supply, are all provided at 

 great cost in every city. How necessary 

 tlien to take the precaution in forest re- 

 gions for saving from fires and sixjliation 

 the timber which is so necessary to agri- 

 culture, conunerce and manufactures. 



CORroR.ATIONS. 



Each corporation owning large tracts 

 of land should employ at least one man 

 whose sole duty it should be to maintain 

 a suitable fire protection. He should be 

 fairly paid and exi)ected to be on the 

 alert, anticipate fires and be prepared to 

 extinguish them. I'^ery man in the em- 

 ploy of the company should be subject to 

 this man's call in case of urgent neces- 

 sity. 



Such a man, with proper assistance, 

 would open and maintain fire guards, 

 keep leaves and trash cleared away to 

 prevent the spread of flames. 



R.MLWAY FIRES. 



When wood was used for fuel fires 

 were of great frequency, and even now, 

 with the l)est care, fires (Kcur along every 

 railway line, and the fire losses paid by 

 railways are very great. Yet, in most 

 instances, the negligence of adjoining 

 ])ropcrty owners is chiefly responsible. 



The railway interests in every state arc 

 powerful enough to secure the passage of 

 good and eflfectual laws for fire protec- 

 tion, if the eft'ort is marie in the right di- 

 rection. 



Property owners should be required to 

 maintain their part of a fire guard ahing 

 each railway line, failing in this the com- 

 pany should be privileged to enter upon 

 such lands and secure such fire guard. 



THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT. 



has provided an excellent ])atrol system 

 for the forest reservations, and is to be 

 commended for this; but every acre of 

 government land uix^n which there is 

 tiinber shouhl be as well protected. 



One million dollars expended annually 

 in this direction, employing a thousand 

 rangers, would be lU'cjiiey well expended. 

 Xot a year ])asses but the fire losses 

 amoimt to $25,000,000 and more, with- 



