SILVICULTURE. 195 



and burning. Where this is not sufficient, a ditch 

 5 to 6 feet wide and a foot or so deep is opened 

 on the outside of this strip toward the endangered 

 woods, the soil being thrown toward the track side 

 and possibly planted with a Hght-foliaged, decidu- 

 ous-leaved species ; cross ditches through the 

 safety strip every 300 feet add further to the safety 

 by confining any fire within reasonable limits. The 

 whole arrangement requires not over 200 feet, 

 and that mostly usefully occupied, while furnishing 

 almost absolute security. 



Such a system would be applicable in many 

 cases in our own country. It would, with some 

 slight changes, be perfectly feasible, and in the 

 end profitable, for railroad companies to grow their 

 tie timber in this way, using such light-foHaged 

 rapid growers as black locust, catalpa, etc. 



Forest crop production as a business, silviculture, 

 will become practicable and profitable in this coun- 

 try only when reasonable forest protection is as- 

 sured by proper exercise of state functions. 



Until this is secured, lumbermen will continue 

 to exploit the natural forest without much regard 

 to its fate after they have secured its present val- 

 uable stores, for they cannot afford to assume the 

 hazard of the fire danger. 



Before positive silvicultural methods are applied 

 by them, they may find it advantageous to cut the 

 virgin forest more conservatively, they may find 

 that it pays in the long run better not to cull too 



