324 B. N. A. BOUNDARY COMMISSION. 
prairie, which is true, but only applies to the regions far beyond any 
in which settlement is likely to take place for along time; and these 
fires seldom spread many hundred miles, without being checked by 
rain or otherwise. It is unfortunately the case, however, that the 
settlers themselves have acquired a habit of firing the grass in autumn 
or early spring, with the idea of producing better grazing, and clear- 
ing out the hay swamps. It seems urgently necessary that legislation, 
enforced if need be by rather severe penalties, should bring this custom 
to an end; or at least if it be considered a hardship to prohibit 
it altogether, to restrict it greatly, and allow it to be applied to 
small areas only, which are surrounded by a good broad ploughed line. 
It should also be rendered imperative that the fire should be watched 
during its progress, that if through any carelessness, it surpasses the 
bounds, the person setting the fire should be in a measure responsible for 
the consequences. It is of course easy to circumscribe fields, buildings, 
and fences, or plantations, with a few plough furrows, which if care- 
fully turned, form a very efficient barrier to the fire; but the wood 
growing at large on the prairie, and the belts of timber along the 
rivers and coulées, suffer almost annually from the incursions of fires, 
and are prevented from spreading, as they otherwise would. <A better 
illustration of this cannot be found than the Red River Valley south | 
of the Boundary-line. The fires on the western, or Dakota bank, are 
much more frequent, and have a broader sweep, and are also very 
generally urged forward by the prevailing wind. The woods fringing 
the stream on this side are consequently thin and poor, compared with 
those on the eastern bank; and there are great areas covered only 
with burned ‘ rampikes,’ and straggling bushes. The fire sweeping 
across the prairie is almost immediately extinct, but when it is carried 
forward to the thick belt of oak or elm trees, maintains itself in the 
dry vegetable soil and half-decayed timber, and may be detected by 
its lurid glare at night, often for a long time. 
757. The advantage derived from burning the old grass is very 
slight, and the young blades are exposed to the action of the night frosts, 
and to drought, ina manner which causes them to become stunted and 
soon dry. If the hay-swamps were properly cut the preceding year, 
they would not require to be burned. It will also be found more adyan- 
tageous to enclose ground, and sow proper hay-grass, and to place less 
reliance on the comparatively poor and thin prairie hay, which the 
farmer has sometimes to go a long way to obtain, 
"4 
f 
“<k 

* 
SS 
