158 LOBLOLLY OR NORTH CAROLINA PINE. 



In the portions of the State where this law has been publicly posted 

 and arrests and prosecutions made under its provisions, it has had the 

 effect of greatly lessening the number of fires from carelessness. 



(7) In addition, owners should require persons wishing to hunt, 

 especially to hunt at night with torch, to obtain a permit, with the 

 understanding that the services of the holder of the permit shall be 

 available for fighting fire without pay. 



(8) No grazing should be permitted on land which was burned that 

 season. 



The most satisfactory way to protect forest land from outside fires is 

 to burn in the fall, as soon as the leaves have fallen and are sufficiently 

 dry, a strip 100 feet wide around the area to be protected. Sometimes it 

 is sufficient to plow only several furrows around the area or two furrows 

 100 feet apart and burn the intervening strip. (Plate XVIII.) 



It is essential to protect all young pine trees from fire until they are 

 from 20 to 30 feet high and their stems are well cleaned for 10 or 15 

 feet. (Plate IV.) This means a period of from 10 to 15 years after 

 lumbering and restocking. Areas containing young growth should be 

 surrounded by fire lines, kept clear by annual burning during damp 

 weather. During very dry weather it is advisable to patrol large bodies 

 of well established young growth, if at all exposed to fire. Neighborhood 

 associations should be formed in sections of counties where the damage 

 from fire is great, and these associations assume the responsibility of 

 protection. The members can issue permits for grazing and night hunt- 

 ing on their lands, prohibiting during the year the use of areas which 

 have been burned for these purposes, appoint patrols during dry, windy 

 seasons and organize forces for fighting fires in case one starts. 



BRUSH LOPPING. 



Wherever clean cutting is practiced and seed trees left, or where cut- 

 ting is done to a diameter limit and only small trees are left, it is desir- 

 able that the branches be lopped from the tops in order to reduce the 

 danger from fire. The lopped branches lie close to the earth and soon 

 decay. Tops which are unlopped may remain a fire menace for many 

 years. (Plate XIX.) Lopping is not necessary on very wet lands or 

 where pine is mixed with hardwoods, unless cutting is clean and the 

 amount of slash is large. Lopping without burning is generally suf- 

 ficient; only in exceptional cases is it necessary to burn the slash. 

 Whether it should be piled before burning depends upon the conditions, 

 but piling is generally advisable. No slash should be left touching seed 

 trees or groups of young trees. Damp weather without wind should be 

 selected for burning. There should always be an ample force on hand 

 to look after the fire. 



