HERMAN H. CHAPMAN 61 



constructed hurriedly in the two dry summers of 1905 

 and 1908, to stop fires from traveling underground. At 

 least one estate has now begun the building of such a fire- 

 line along their boundary to be in readiness in case they 

 are threatened again. This line cost $250.00 a mile for 

 clearing a space 16 feet wide and trenching two feet wide 

 in the center. 



The expense of fire protection should not exceed 5 to 

 10 cents per acre annually. This sum will not permit of 

 much outlay on small tracts. A ranger should patrol from 

 3,000 to 10,000 acres of land. In the west they are re- 

 quired to guard far greater areas. It is this limit to the 

 expense which prevents the construction of many fire- 

 breaks, but there are often locations where it will evi- 

 dently pay to construct one especially along borders of 

 forests. On the Angeles National Forest near Los Angeles, 

 Cal., over 100 miles of fire-breaks have been made along 

 the foot hills and the crests of the lower ridges. In the 

 mountainous region a fire-break should be placed either 

 at the very bottom of a slope or at the crest of a ridge. 

 There is very little chance to make an effective fight mid- 

 way up a slope. 



Fire Laws. 



So important is fire protection to the success of forest 

 production that states have developed fire laws, and sys- 

 tems of state fire wardens, to aid in securing the desired 

 result. Practically the first forest legislation in any 

 state has been laws providing penalties for setting fires 

 in woodlands. But like all other laws to be effective they 

 must be enforced. The duty of arresting offenders, and 

 of extinguishing fires must be placed upon definite per- 

 sons. The state of New York was first to pass a fire law 

 of this character, and this was brought about mainly by 

 the demand of the public that state lands held as forest re- 

 serves in the Adirondacks be properly protected from fire. 



