AMERICAN FORESTRY 



1 



METHOD OF PLOWING THE BACK FIRE LINE. 

 THIS WORK MAY ALSO BE SATISFACTORILY DONE BY DYNAMITING, THE EXPLOSION MAKING A DEEP AND WIDE TRENCH. 



lost by the fighting force in locating 

 available sources of water supply. 



To do this work, twenty-four regular 

 rangers were picked from the different 

 forests in California, assigned to the 

 Sierra Forest, and were there divided 

 into two crews of twelve each. These 

 crews were in charge of a foreman who 

 was chosen from their number. The 

 foreman subdivided his crew into groups 

 that worked oil different parts of the 

 construction. Usually there were two 

 snag crews, one equipped with falling 

 saw, and the other equipped with augers 

 and powder. In this connection, very 

 interesting and valuable data in regard 

 to the cost and effectiveness of these 

 two methods of snag disposal was 

 obtained. From four to six men were 

 equipped with axes and it was their duty 

 to brush out the back fire line for a 

 width of ten to twelve feet and also 

 remove such inflammable material as 

 was necessary in front and behind this 

 strip. After the line was brushed out, 



two men came behind with a side-hill 

 plow and plowed two furrows, one on 

 each side of the back fire line, as close 

 as the horses could go to the brush. 

 The space between these furrows was 

 then burned, leaving a back fire line 

 free from any inflammable material. 



The progress of the crews varied 

 according to the type of the country, 

 but each crew easily averaged a mile 

 and a half of finished line per day. By 

 February 20 the line had been built along 

 the western boundary of the Sierra 

 Forest, an approximate distance of one 

 hundred and ten miles, at a cost of $52 

 per mile. While the full value of this 

 type of line cannot as yet be determined, 

 there can be no doubt but that such a 

 line will prove to be a big help in protect- 

 ing the timber areas, simply because it 

 will relieve the local organization from 

 the necessity of constructing a line of 

 less efficiency on very short notice and 

 in the face of an approaching fire. 



Plans for the Forest Products Exposition of Chicago, April 30th, are progressing satisfactorily. 

 The preparations of exhibits by the affiliated associations is under way. A campaign of advertising, 

 to induce attendance, will be undertaken in the near future. The manufacturers generally are requested 

 to exert their utmost efforts toward creating interest in the expositions, which bid fair to be the most 

 interesting and comprehensive ever held in this country. 



