430 FIRE-CONSERVANCY. 



lohich they are cut, increased l>y 3 feet. 



Whether the rest of the trace be cleared or not of trees and 

 shrubs, no such vegetation should be allowed to stand on the guide 

 lines, for the burners must have free room for unimpeded circula- 

 tion and for wielding the leafy branches with which they beat out 

 the fire and prevent it from spreading beyond the trace. The trees 

 and shrubs may be got rid of entirely by grubbing out, if the 

 operation is inexpensive and money for it is available ; otherwise 

 they must be felled once for all and the resulting coppice shoots 

 cut every year. 



If there are no thick stems in the way and the ground is suffi- 

 ciently level and not stony, a scythe will be the most expeditious 

 implement to employ in clearing the guide lines of its grass and 

 other vegetation. Otherwise a sickle must be used. According 

 to the width to be cleared, men may be placed singly or two or 

 three abreast at convenient distances apart. 



The grass cut off the guide lines should be thrown up in a con- 

 tinuous mass along the edge of the standing grass on the traces. 

 There it will dry and become inflammable rapidly and thus facilitate 

 the firing of the trace : without such a cushion of dry grass it 

 would be extremely difficult to fire the standing grass on the trace, 

 and in the most favourable circumstances this grass would never 

 take fire and burn regularly. Even when the standing grass is too 

 green to burn, the combustion of the cushion of dry grass will cause 

 the green grass in contact with itself to be consumed and thus 

 widen very materially the guide line and render the second 

 attempt of firing the trace a safe and easy matter. If the grass 

 on the guide lines can be sold, advantage should be taken of this 

 circumstance to reduce the cost ot fire-prevention, and the best 

 plan then would be, if that were feasible, to get the purchaser to 

 clear the lines. The unsaleable portions should of course be thrown 

 up against the edge of the standing grass as described above ; and 

 if there is not enough to form the requisite cushion and at the same 

 time supply material for the fire-brands or grass torches (p. 437), 

 a slight additional width should be cleared on the inside to obtain 

 the balance. 



The guide lines should be cleared while the standing grass is 

 still green and sufficiently in advance of the firing to allow the 

 cut grass to become completely dry and inflammable. 



To ensure permanence for a fire-trace, as well as for economy's 

 sake to follow as straight and short a line as possible every -where, 

 it is advisable, whenever practicable, to mark out the edge or edges 



