FOREST FIRES. 121 



as we know, be carried out among growing timber, 

 not only without injury, but with very great benefit 

 to the remaining trees. 



But it is in America, where no control was exercised, 

 that the most wholesale devastation was to be witnessed ; 

 and to such lengths has it been carried, that even the 

 vast and apparently inexhaustible expanse of virgin 

 forests have already come within a measurable distance 

 of extinction, at all events upon its eastern watershed. 



The process of clearing away the forest is generally 

 effected by means of fire; the trees being felled, and 

 left for a time to dry, until a favourable moment for 

 applying the torch arrives, when if the burning is 

 skilfully planned, everything except the stumps was 

 generally consumed. Unfortunately however, fire, which 

 has always proved an admirable servant, like many a 

 man, often shows itself but an indifferent master; and 

 once the devouring element was set a-going, it was 

 not always possible to place a limit upon its ravages; 

 so that not infrequently, after a spell of dry weather, 

 the fire passed beyond the boundaries of the intended 

 clearing, and set the whole forest itself in a blaze; 

 where the fire continued to rage and burn for weeks 

 and even for months together, till it sometimes laid 

 waste hundreds and possibly thousands of square miles 

 of magnificent primeval forest. We shall have more 

 to say upon the subject of these great forest fires and 

 clearances hereafter ; enough has however been said to 

 indicate the fearful extent of devastation that has been 

 wrought by the ruthless spirit of selfish recklessness, 

 which knew no single restraint where the personal 

 interest of the hour seemed to stand in the way of 

 the individual. It was the same with the game ; 



