96 THE FOREST LANDS OP FINLAND. 



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wood, or for manufacture into charcoal. On a calm day 

 this is set on fire, and, the flames spreading, soon reduce 

 the wood spread over the ground to ashes, precautions 

 being taken against the spread of the 1 conflagrati6n beyond 

 the limits prescribed. In France, in general, this takes 

 place not later than the beginning of July. In the Oden- 

 wald, in the Grand-Duchy of Hesse-Darmstadt, the latest 

 day allowed for the operation is the 10th of June. In the 

 Ardennes, on the other hand, it is carried out in August 

 and September. From these arrangements it follows that 

 all the shoots of the first year are destoyed. This is an evil ; 

 and it may be that this second arresfc of the vegetation of 

 the stumps affects their vitality and durability. On the 

 other hand, the check thus given to vegetation is followed 

 with this effect : in the next spring, and sometimes also in 

 the spring following that, there are produced only shoots 

 in the best conditions for resisting the cold of winter; 

 and this in a climate so rude is, perhaps, a circumstance 

 essential to their growth. 



When the time for sowing the cereals has arrived, these 

 are scattered over the ground, and covered by a light 

 application of the hoe. If the Sartage have been effected 

 early, buck-wheat may be cultivated in the first year, and 

 rye in the year following ; but if, on the contrary, the 

 season has been pretty far advanced, the grower some- 

 times must be satisfied with a single crop of rye. 



This mode of burning the small wood and debris is 

 known as Sartage a feu courant. The ashes yielded by it 

 add to the fertility of the soil by the salts which they 

 contain, and by the property which these possess of 

 attracting humidity from the atmosphere, and of retaining 

 it in such a way as to yield it only slowly to the plants. 

 It is said, moreover, to be undeniable that they constitute 

 a powerful stimulant for vegetation, whatever that may 

 mean. It may then easily be imagined that after Sartage 

 both the cereals and the shoots will grow with great 

 vigour. If sometimes it happens that the effects of the 

 fire are injurious to the reproduction of wood, by 



