243 



By Mr. Adams : 



Q. You said the fire would run through the trees and run on the 

 ground and burn out the ground; what is it burns out in the ground ? 



A. There is always a coating of leaves, especially in hard timber, 

 and it runs along that coating of leaves; my experience has been that 

 it doesn't get into the fire, or into the ground very much, except 

 around swamps, in what is called muck, which possibly may be spruce 

 duff, but I don't so Understand it. 



By Chairman Kyan : 



Q. In trees growing on the edge ? 



A. It is a small | growth along the swamps; it is a little,, thick 

 growth of spruce, balsam and tamarack, which is of no merchantable 

 value. , 



Q. Land that Would burn, that is earth that would burn, is not such 

 as produces trees ? , ' 



A. No, sir. 



By Mr. Adams: r /' 



Q. It runs on the ground; what does it take on the ground ? 



A. Dry leaves. 



Q. If there is any muck it takes that ? 



A. It goes into that. 



Q. Wet muck won't burn, will it? 



A. I have known wet muck to burn for two months, I myself , have 

 stamped out muck until I thought I had destroyed every vestige of 

 fire, and have come there four or five weeks afterwards and found it 

 smoldering. 



Q. So that the danger when fire starts and runs through tree tops 

 is not only to injure and burn the standing timber, bu"t also to burn 

 off the surface of the ground, taking the muck where there is muck ? 



A. Yes, sir. 



Q. In this burned land that has been burned over it takes it clear 

 down to the sand ? 



A. Not generally. 



Q. What is there above the sand ? 



A. It is only after repeated burnings that it goes down to the sand. 



Q. lio you say that, as a matter of fact, or experience, it takes sev- 

 eral burnings in the woods to get down to the sand? 



A. Yes, sir. 



Q. You state in making the park lines you were spoken to by sev? 

 pral rjch people who; wanted f^es and places for postages ? 



