292 THE PRINCIPLES OF HANDLING WOODLANDS 



forest that is being developed there is necessary a certain 

 force to supervise any work such as logging, the con- 

 struction of roads, the protection of game, the prevention 

 of trespass, etc. This organization is best illustrated 

 in the National Forests. There is a permanent corps of 

 trained rangers who live on the Forest, each in charge of 

 a specified area. These men have executive charge of all 

 the work in the woods. During the dry season this 

 force may be supplemented by temporary forest guards 

 for special fire patrol. Each guard is assigned to a speci- 

 fied part of the Forest, which he is required to patrol 

 regularly; he prevents the start of fires as far as possible 

 and watches for any fires which may start within his 

 range. It has already been explained that one of the 

 purposes of the construction of trails through the Forests 

 is to enable the constant patrol and access to fires which 

 may be started. The guards ride or walk over these 

 trails under a systematic plan. There is usually a regu- 

 lar beat over which the guard travels at regular intervals. 

 In some tracts it is possible to go over the beat once a 

 day; in others it requires a much longer period. When 

 not on patrol the guards are engaged in other general 

 work on the Forest. 



In the plan of patrol the guards keep in close touch 

 with each other and with the ranger in charge of the 

 whole work, in order that they may communicate in case 

 of fire by signal from lookout stations, by telephone, or 

 any other method of communication that may be estab- 

 lished in the Forest. 



