590 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION G. 
or start within such fire-district, a fire in the forest, or at 
a distance of less than half a mile therefrom, or upon any 
island, for cooking, obtaining warmth, or for any mdustrial 
purpose, shall— 
“(1.) Select a locality in the neighbourhood in which 
there is the smallest quantity of vegetable matter, 
deadwood, branches, «ec. 
* (2.) Clear the place i in which he is about to light the fire 
by removing all vegetable matter, dead trees, 
branches, brushwood, and dry leaves from the soil 
within a radius of ten feet from the fire. 
‘“(3.) Exercise and observe every reasonable precaution 
to prevent such fire from spreading, and carefully 
extinguish the same before quitting the place.” 
If some regulations of this kind were in force, it would 
not be a difficult matter for an officer acting as inspector 
to visit camps and ascertain if they were being carried out 
properly. 
The planting of lines or belts of hardwood deciduous 
trees, makes an excellent barrier to the progress of fire 
from forests composed of more inflammabie trees. 
The formation of cleared fire-paths 20-feet wide is 
practised in India, but these are found hardly wide enough 
to act as effectual barriers in windy weather, though in 
ordinary circumstances they act as useful cheeks. 
The planting of a grass called Panicum spectabile is also 
carried out in India. It is said to grow to a height of 3 
or 4 feet, and to flourish in the hottest and driest situations, 
remaining always green and succulent, so that no fires will 
pass over it. 
Stone walls, barriers of earth, ditches, and ploughed belts, 
are all capable of doing a great deal to prevent the spread 
of fires. 
With reference to the methods employed by settlers in 
burning up the wood upon their clearing, Mr. Hough 
says :— 
‘A frequent cause of disastrous fires in the woods is the 
mode of clearing land now generally followed by settlers. 
Of course, they must have recourse to fires in order to clear 
woodlands, but fire ought to be our servant, kept under 
continued control, not our master. 
“Woodland can be-cleared with comparatively little 
danger from fire, and be made ready to sow earlier than by 
the mode now generally in use (as I know from practical 
experience), if the settlers will only burn the shrubs, 
