242 PROTECTION OF WOODLANDS. 



be needed for the growth on the soil, so as to prevent the com- 

 mencement of a ground-fire. 



Tree-fires, that have broken out in the inside of hollow stems, 

 may be put out by shutting off the supply of air, which can be 

 done by plugging up the opening in the trunk with sods of turf 

 or with earth ; if that cannot be done, the tree may be felled 

 for the extinction of the flames with earth. 



When a soil-fire has broken out in a turf-moor, measures ought 

 of course to be taken to extinguish it long before it reaches any 

 forest tracts. Its progress can be hindered by digging ditches 

 deep enough to reach the mineral soil, and thus isolating the 

 portion on fire. 



When once a forest fire has been extinguished, it is always 

 necessary to exercise a certain amount of prudence in regard to 

 leaving watchmen on the spot, especially when any strong breeze 

 is blowing, so as to take instant measures should there be any 

 appearance of a recrudescence of the fire. Glowing stems should 

 be covered over with earth ; the ground to the windward of the 

 limit of the fire should be turned up if possible, and a good watch 

 maintained until all danger is completely at an end. 



121. Measures to be adopted after Fires. 



If woodlands have been more or less damaged by fire, tl 

 question at once presents itself as to how the injuries inflict 

 can possibly be reduced to their minimum. 



Young coniferous crops are almost always so badly damaged 

 to necessitate their clearance and re-formation by means of soi 

 ing or planting, whilst young crops of broad-leaved species 

 owing to their naturally greater recuperative capacity, able to 

 reproduce themselves if cut back to the stool after being damped 

 in the bark by ground-fire. Among broad-leaved species the 

 Beech suffers most in this respect owing to its smooth thin hark, 

 which is apt to be injured even by a comparatively light ground- 

 fire, whilst this can often run through older crops without doing 

 appreciable damage, more especially when the trees are of thick- 

 barked kinds like Oak or Scots Pine. 



But when such older crops show unmistakable signs of having 

 sustained some considerable amount of damage, by assuming 

 a sickly and unhealthy appearance in the foliage, or by individual 



