in Provence and the Cevennes. 333 



being tlirown into the forest ou either side. The 

 fire-lines are traced on the same principle as they are 

 in India, viz., in all cases, round the outside of the 

 forest, and through it when necessary ; they follow the 

 crests of ridges and spurs as far as possible. Fire-guards 

 are employed to watch the forest during the four hottest 

 months of the year, there being four of them for the 

 forest of 7500 acres. These men spend their spare time in 

 making and keeping in order the numerous paths that in- 

 tersect the forest in all directions; and in case a fire breaks 

 out, they give the alarm to the inhabitants of the neigh- 

 bouring villages, who are compelled by law to assist in its 

 suppression. This is accomplished principally by means 

 of counter fires, in the management of which the people 

 are very skilful. Proprietors in this region, who have not 

 entirely cleared their forests of inflammable shrubs, are 

 bound by law to maintain cleared fire-lines round them. 



There is another method of dealing with fires, which is 

 believed to be peculiar to the Maures and the Esterel. 

 Under this system, locally known as that of petits feux, or 

 small fires, the forests are burnt " to save their lives"; or, 

 in other words, in order to secure them against risk of total 

 destruction by the entry of an accidental or incendiary fire, 

 over which it might be impossible to gain control, they are 

 treated to burning in homoeopathic doses under the fostering 

 care of their owners and guardians. This practice, which in 

 the lecture-hall at Nancy is characterised as " detestable 

 from all points of view," is carried out by dividing each com- 

 partment of the forest into vertical strips, the first of which 

 adjoins a cleared vertical fire-line ; each strip is then burnt 

 in succession from the top downwards, the workmen re- 

 maining with the fire in order to control its downward 

 march, and to keep it from spreading inwards. The young- 

 pines are burnt up with the heather and other shrubs; but 

 from what has been said before, it will be seen that this is 

 not a matter of importance. Every endeavour is, however, 

 made to save the young cork oaks, by keeping the fire 

 from them, and the larger ones can, generally speaking, 

 be protected. The small ones are burnt, but they coppice 

 well ; and by the time it is necessary to burn the forest 

 again, they have attained a size which admits of their being 



TRANS. BOT. SOC. VOL. XVI. Z 



