248 

 PROTECTION OF FORESTS FROM FIRE. 



Of all the dangers to which a forest plantation is exposed, fire 

 is the greatest. Insects, fungi, and natural factors, — such as 

 storms and droughts, — frecjuently occasion losses among the 

 young plants. But the damage done usually extends over only a 

 small portion of the area planted and can be repaired at com- 

 paratively little expense. 



A forest fire, however, if it once gains headway, may sweep 

 over the entire plantation, entailing a total loss. • This fire hazard 

 of course is greatest while the plants are young, but is present in 

 decreasing amount throughout the life of the forest. Every land- 

 owner, before establishing a plantation, should seriously consider 

 the problem of fire protection. If protection can be secured at a 

 reasonable cost, the plantation may be established ; but if pro- 

 tection from fire can be obtained only through large expenditures, 

 the idea of planting should be abandoned. 



As a matter of fact, fire protection in a majority of cases can 

 be secured very cheaply, when once the attempt to do so is made. 



Efforts to protect a plantation froni fire must vary in individual 

 cases, but will be along two main lines, as follows : 



(a) Toward the construction of fire lines. 



{h) Toward patrol of the plantation. 



By a fire line is meant a narrow strip of land, a few feet wide, 

 bordering the area to be protected, and kept clear of all in- 

 flammable material. A roadway or else a ploughed strip make 

 the best kind of fire lines. Where the ground cannot be ploughed, 

 all dead branches and leaves should be removed and the fire line 

 burned over occasionally to keep down the grass. The ordinary 

 surface fire will not pass such a fire line, which can be con- 

 structed for $io a mile as the maximum cost. 



Where the area to be protected is of considerable extent, it 

 may be wise to have a man keep watch of, or patrol, the planta- 

 tion during the dry seasons in each year. Unless the tiact con- 

 tains several hundred acres or more the cost of such a patrol 

 would be excessive, where paid for outright. But small land- 

 owners are often so situated that they can keep watch of their 

 plantations themselves, without great inconvenience, thus obtain- 

 ing fire protection at small cost. When the owner has become 

 conviriced that he can secure adequate fire protection for his 

 prospective forest plantation, and not until then, is he ready to 

 think seriously of planting. — The Massachusetts Tree Planter. 



