106 THE USE BOOK. 



ranger in whose district they are found. For the benefit of the 

 traveling public, all forest reserve trails should be equipped with 

 signboards stating the name of the trail, its destination, and the 

 distance in each direction to its terminal points. 



Bridges should be built only where fording is impracticable, but 

 when they are necessary should be strong enough so there will 

 be no danger of their going out with the first high water. The 

 use of rod iron and sawed lumber should be discouraged wherever 

 suitable logs can be obtained from reserve timber. 



Where the ground and grade of a trail make drainage necessary 

 to prevent washing, cross gutters or obstructions should be placed 

 at proper intervals to throw water off on the downhill side. As a 

 general rule brush and earth or a small log pegged down obliquely 

 across the trail will answer the purpose. 



An estimate for each summer's improvement work will be 

 required from the supervisor on before March 15 of each year. 

 The Forester will pass upon the recommendations and allot a 

 definite portion of the authorization of the reserve to this class of 

 work. This allotment must be strictly followed. It will be 

 charged with expenses for team hire, powder, and other materials 

 (not tools), and temporary labor. 



FIRE LINES. 



On some of the forest reserves it has been found 

 necessary to begin work on fire-line systems to insure 

 reasonable security against disastrous fires. Where 

 this is done to protect the direct water supply of adja- 

 cent towns, cities, or ranches, or the range of per- 

 mitted stock, the cooperation of the interested residents 

 is earnestly requested. 



Range fire lines or lines through open mature timber on easy 

 ground may be cheaply constructed by plowing four or five fur- 

 rows on each side of a strip 4 rods wide and burning out the 

 intervening strip when conditions render it safe. Lines through 

 chaparral or heavy underbrush should usually be 30 feet wide, 

 cleaned out with an ax, mattock, and brush hook, and the stumps 

 of all strong sprouting species, such as scrub oak, grubbed out. 



