204 FORESTRY IN THE LANDES 



stances extend over more than one-sixth the land owned by each com- 

 mune," and the local forest officer must be consulted. It is interesting 

 that, dating from 1741, there was a law that there could be no grazing 

 for 5 years following the burning of forest land. A similar law is now 

 in' force in Tunisia and Algeria to punish the natives for burning over 

 grazing ground. 



Even when the tendency to set fire decreased, accidents tended to 

 increase the fire danger in a region where the hazard was already very 

 great. Notwithstanding the strict rules and fines against setting fire 

 within 328 feet of forest, heather, or wood, fires have always done con- 

 siderable damage in the maritime pine belt due to inflammable under- 

 brush and regeneration, high winds, and drought. During the 10-year 

 period, 1883-1892, only 254 acres were burned or 0.0002 of the area 

 (protected by the State service) per year and 0.002 per year of the 

 communal forest area. In the area not under Federal control the 

 relationship between the area burned each year and the area not burned 

 was as 0.78 is to 100. In other words, 11,621 acres were burned over 

 each year out of a total area of about 1,482,626 acres. 



In the Landes the regulations are extremely strict against trespass 

 and against the use of fire by contractors. The following is an example: 



"It is strictly forbidden: 



"1. To smoke, to light matches, or to carry a fire of any kind whatsoever in the 

 forest or on forest soil. 



"2. To damage, move, or tear up any stakes, signs, poles, boundary notices, or 

 notices of any kind whatsoever erected by administrative authority. 



"3. To remove sand, dry pine needles, sod, or any other product of the forest soil. 

 Violations will be followed by prosecution." 



According to Bert: 



"The protection measures include; (1) Installation of tool caches in forest houses 

 and in the cutting areas; (2) the establishment of telephone lines connecting certain 

 forest houses with the nearest telegraph office; (3) the construction of watch towers 

 in the Inspection of Mont-de-Marsan." 



Additional protective measures are: The establishment of charcoal 

 pits is not allowed in the interior of pine forests (except in cleared open- 

 ings at least 33 feet from the nearest tree); charcoal burning cannot 

 be done before the first of October or after the first of April of each 

 year (that is, during the fire season), and the charcoal could not be 

 removed until nine days after the burning was finished; stacks of saw- 

 mills had to be covered with spark arresters and the ground cleared. 

 The conclusion was finally reached that fire lines were indispensable. 

 Accordingly main fire lines at right angles to the direction of the wind, 

 about 3,280 feet apart and 33 feet wide, were constructed; in addition 



