at hand, the men go after the fire to try to beat it out. They 

 flail at the fire as though it were a den of shakes. Dirt, if it 

 is loose, is dug up and hurled upon the creeping foe. The 

 conflagration has broken out at too remote a place to permit 

 of the use of water or chemicals. In spite of the brave fight 

 it is gaining headway. 



Light trenches are dug ahead of the enemy in its direct 

 line of march and the fight is made doggedly over these 

 trenches. But the timber has been exceedingly dry, the 

 wind gains strength, and the fire climbs the giant firs to the 

 tops. Now the foe begins to move along the tops of the trees. 

 It is a "crown fire" the sort in which the greatest danger 

 lies. It moves with a new rapidity because of the air that 

 fans it. It begins to jump great distances. Sparks are thrown 

 for miles. 



The foTest ranger issues a new order to his crew. A point 

 is selected some distance ahead of the fire and a trench is 

 dug; the trees are cut for a space twenty feet wide. Then 

 a back fire is set near enough to the advancing fire for the 

 back draft to bring the two together and cause them to burn 

 out. 



It may be days before the fire is overcome. Then it will 

 be just the luck of the tired, blistered ranger if another blaze 

 breaks out in another part of the reserve. 



A life that is hard as well as lonely? Perhaps. But the 

 green-clad ranger loves it. 



Twenty states have published reports of their wood-using in- 

 dustries. 



There are 703 bighorns or mountain sheep in the national for- 

 ests of Nevada. 



A good grade of excelsior is being made from fire-killed Alpine 

 fir and llngelniann spruce in Colorado. 



It is predicted that Western yellow pine zvill furnish an excel- 

 lent source of turpentine as the Southern pine becomes exhausted. 



31 



