280 THE PRINCIPLES OF HANDLING WOODLANDS 



where there are no roads or trails, as, for example, 

 along the boundary of a tract, about a recent clearing, 

 around a body of young timber, etc. In Europe, 

 such lines are often made between two compartments 

 where there is no road or other permanent boundary. 



The width of tree-cleared lines is usually from 6 to 

 1 5 feet. The European tree-cleared lines between com- 

 partments are usually about 6 or 8 feet. Often a line 

 from 10 to 15 feet is cut, especially where a road may 

 later be located. In a number of instances in this coun- 

 try very wide lines have been cut, 75 or 100 feet in 

 width. Such great width is ordinarily unnecessary. 

 Strips a rod wide are usually of fully as great value as 

 the very wide lines, except in conifers, where there is 

 danger of crown fires. The maintenance of these lines 

 consists in brushing them out every year or two. 



Ground-Cleared Lines. By ground-cleared lines are 

 meant strips on which the small brush and ground 

 debris are destroyed, and the larger trees are left stand- 

 ing. Ground-cleared lines may be made in open woods, 

 where there is little or no undergrowth to be injured or 

 to interfere with the work of clearing the ground. The 

 usual procedure is to burn a strip through the woods 

 from 10 to 20 feet wide. This can be done only where 

 the conditions are such that a surface fire may be con- 

 trolled and restricted to the desired strip. 



The open pine woods of the South present an ideal 

 condition for the use of ground-cleared lines. In burn- 

 ing the lines, practically the same methods as those 



