126 ELEMENTS OF SYLVICULTUEE. 



valley of the Meuse. " Sartage " is practised by 

 firing either in the open air or in small heaps. 



OPEN-AIR FIRING. The first method is the better 

 of the two, but it cannot be employed where the 

 ground is covered with long grass. After the pro- 

 duce, which is exploited during the circulation of 

 the sap, in order that the oak may be barked, has 

 been cut up and removed, that is to say, towards 

 August, the twigs and other refuse obtained from 

 the exploitation are scattered as uniformly as possible 

 over the surface of the ground. These are fired 

 during calm weather. In order to prevent the fire 

 from spreading into the adjacent portions, the pre- 

 caution is taken of digging up the ground over a 

 width of a few yards all round the area cut over, and 

 the fire is controlled by men armed with long poles. 

 Sometimes the ground is parcelled out into several 

 small portions, which are burnt one by one. Some 

 days after the firing, when it is possible to go to the 

 spot, rye is sown broad-cast and covered by light 

 hoeing. 



This kind of firing can be employed on slopes as 

 well as on plateaux. It offers many advantages : 

 by means of the ashes it returns at once to those 

 schistose slate soils, which are consequently cold and 

 poor, a notable proportion of the inorganic elements 

 that had been taken up by the forest during a whole 

 rotation ; it thus renders an agricultural crop pos- 

 sible, and the quality of these elements in excess of 

 what is used up by the cereals, benefits the young 

 forest growth for several years. The passage of the 

 fire results in the destruction of the seeds of the 



