EXHAUSTION OF THE FOREST. 



back fires are built on the side 

 of the patlis or roacls or trendies 

 toward tlie fire, in the expecta- 

 tion tliat the two fires will meet. 

 In such cases great care has to 

 be taken that the bacl;: fire itself 

 does not escape. Small fires, 

 however, can sometimes be beaten 

 out or smothered with dirt and 

 sand, since water is usually un- 

 available. 



But "an ounce of prevention 

 is worth a pound of cure." One 

 of the best of these preventions 

 is a S)'stem of fire lanes. Even 

 narrow paths of dirt will stop 

 an ordinar)' fire. Eoads, of 

 course, are still better. S^ystems 

 of fire lanes. Fig. 109, are made 

 India. Belts of liardwood trees 



Fig-. 110. Look out for Fire. Rulesand Laws 



Fig. 100. Fire Lane. Worcester Co., Mass. 

 U. S. Forest Service. 



great use of in Europe and British 

 are also cultivated along railways, 

 and to break up large bodies 

 of cnnifei'S. 



If in lumbering, the slash 

 were destroyed or even cut up 

 so as to lie near the ground 

 and rot quickly, many fires 

 would be prevented. 



Some states, as New York, 

 have a fairly well organ- 

 ized systeui of fire wardens, 

 ^\■llo have the authority to 

 di'aft as much male help as 

 they need at $2.00 a day to 

 fight forest fii'es. Unfortu- 

 nately "ne'er-do-wells" some- 

 times set fire to the woods, in 

 oriler to "make work" for 

 theuiselves. JIuch preventive 



