OTHER FOREST ACTIVITIES 1 55 



cational campaign has been waged, such as would be carried 

 on in the United States under similar conditions. 



The patrol is kept up during the fire season, from May to 

 September, but telephone lines, regular lookout towers, tool 

 boxes at danger points and other details of modern fire pro- 

 tection are entirely lacking. In 19 10 there were 6330 metres 

 (6922 yards) of fire lines brushed out; they are officially con- 

 sidered to be of unquestioned value, but too expensive under 

 past conditions. There ^* have been some 7 and 10 metre 

 (8 and 11 yard) fines, but wider lines — at least 20 metres (22 

 yards) — are now favored by the conservator. These few fines 

 have been cleared with trespass labor. 



The acreage®^ burned over in 1910 was 10 hectares (25 acres) 

 in communal and 90 hectares (222 acres) in federal forests; 

 in 191 1 the area burned over was 23.25 hectares (57 acres) in 

 communal and 108.12 hectares (267 acres) in federal forests. In 

 the past ^^ there have been periodic conflagrations which have 

 resulted (during unusually dry seasons) from incendiarism, burn- 

 ing brush, personal vengeance against the guards after law- 

 suits, camp fires followed by high winds. The former preventive 

 measures ^^ are summarized as patrol and poficing, coupled with 

 the disposal of debris. 



As explained under "System of Management" the adoption 

 of the shelterwood system followed by even-aged stands was 

 the direct cause of much damage, partly because the periodic 

 blocks were too large. But during early sales the omission of 

 brush disposal caused incalculable injury. To-day the brush, 

 chips, and debris are piled after felfings and are then burned, 

 provided this can be done without harm to young growth. 



The main problem in Corsican fire protection seems to be 

 not to guard against ordinary fires, but rather against those 

 extraordinary conflagrations which take place periodically dur- 

 ing seasons of drought. It is for this reason that the sacrifice 

 has been made of using the selection system with a fight de- 

 manding species. 



*' Conservator's report for 1910. 



^^ Especially in the forests of Bavella and Zonza. 



^ Unpublished report in official records. 



