132 FARM FORESTRY 



of the trees. The destruction of the humus or the decayed 

 leaves and twigs lessens the moisture holding capacity of the 

 soil. Such conditions are not favorable for the growth of 

 trees, but encourage the growth of weeds. 



Protecting the Woodlot from Fire. Where woodlots are 

 portions of larger forest areas some means must be taken to 

 prevent fires spreading to them. Woodlots that are isolated, 

 being surrounded by cultivated fields, are not usually subject 

 to fires. If fire starts it is due to carelessness in most cases. 

 The watchfulness of the owner is the surest safeguard against 

 fires. If a fire can be discovered early before it has become of 

 large size it usually can be extinguished easily. W r here it is 

 possible to do so there is no better means of protecting a 

 woodlot than to run a few furrows around it with a plow. 

 This will stop an ordinary, slowly moving surface fire. It 

 also gives a base from which to back fire against a rapidly 

 approaching fire. In back firing, a fire is lighted along a pre- 

 pared line, path or road running at right angles across an ap- 

 proaching fire, and is allowed to burn back against the fire, 

 consuming the inflammable material. This is a most effective 

 means of combating a rapidly moving and hot fire. Fire lanes 

 are sometimes made by turning furrows several yards or rods 

 apart and burning off the inflammable material between. Such 

 fire lanes are comparatively inexpensive and are very effective. 

 They can be run along railroads and the material between 

 the tracks and fire lane burned. They can be constructed 

 in the same way along a highway where there is danger of fire 

 being started accidentally. It is not always possible to plow fire 

 lines owing to the nature of the soil. In this case lines can 

 be raked or hoed clear of all inflammable material such as 

 leaves, twigs, weeds and grass, and all branches and fallen 

 trees removed. Regular roads and existing logging roads, 

 trails and streams can also be utilized as fire lines. 



Woodlots can be divided by fire lines into blocks. If fire 

 starts in one block the lines will prevent it spreading to other 



