The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1909-10-30

change OF wind may upset the cal
culations Of the keeper
| 1t is no easy job heather-burning on
a clear November morning. with the
ground cracking in the sun like tin
der beneath ones feet. and it is dan
gerous TO work single-handed on these
| occasions. 1t is golden rule to have
plenty Of hands, and few boys, pro-
vided they can be trusted. are inyalu
able for watching the smoldering
ashes and guarding against fresh
outbreak while the keepers are work
ing elsewhere. In burning long
strips it is customary to have two
men on each side, and in a big fire
with strong wind tanning the flames
these are none too many.
In former days the fire was spread
over the required area by means of
punches OF dead heather, and much
time used to be wasted in searching
for such material The modern heath
er burners, as shown in one of the
Illustrations. have rendered this sys-
TEN obsolete, and this innovation Is
to be welcomed as tightening consid-
erably what is probably the severest
branch of the keepers work
That heather. when possible,
should be burnt in small strips or
patches is theory which requires
little proof. If young brood are
! surprised by a bird or beast of prey
in the middle of a large open strip.
they cannot possibly escape, but in a
small patch they can run to cover at
the first sign of danger AS stated
above. however, it is necessary to
burn a neglected moor on large
scale at first before II can be
brought properly into control and a
/ system of rotation established There
are few sights more impressive than
| that OF a big fire which has got out
/ OF control. II we see it from behind.
| as is probable II we are helping in
| the struggle. we shall see nothing but
mass OF smoke ahead, IN the midst
/ of which, dimly outlined we can dis
| unguish the forms of the foremost
workers. From each tussock or tult
| OF heather splitting flame leaps
cracking fercely. breaking out again
at intervals behind US as we work
! blindly on. 1t is now no question of
keeping level strip, with even edges
and no jagged corners. but literally
a fight to the death with the fiery
/ monster, and struggle from which
we shall emerge with singed hair and
clothes reeking with the smoke. Far
ahead of us it leaps onwards, jumping
l rlyulptS in IFS raSist1ass cn,rca h,.,;,zu
! itself from slope to slope in fierce
/ derision at our puny efforts. per-
chance crossing the march into
neighbor's ground. 1t matters little
what caused the outbreak. sudden
! rise Of the wind or a match thrown
carelessly among the heather-there
Is time enough afterwards to discuss
all this, and the reason why. Our
only object now is to regain control
OF the flames. to stamp them out, and
ihen sink exhausted beside some
cool spring or streamlet And SO we
| fight our way forward: a broom or
bosom" snaps in half. and another
is snatched from a lad following be-
hind. Till suddenly gust of wind
blowing down the corrie breaks the
SUiOhe, ana we come to halt trf-
umphant, on the banks Of a rollicking
burn which has temporarily checked
the onrush of the flames.
To realize the magnitude of such a
fire one must view 1t from a distance,
and the huge wreath Of smoke bill
lowing up towards the sky, extending
over. perhaps, mile Of moorland, and
varied by the tongues of yellow
flame, cannot fail to inspire one with
the sense of awe which fire alone
among the elements can arouse. On
these occasions there is always the
possibility Of the peat below becoming
ignited. and in dry weather this is
serious danger
Generally. however. keepers avoid
all risk of such an occurrence by
burning small strips to check the fire
at right angles to the direction Of 'he
principal fire. This expedient should
! always be adopted when burning near
wood or close to a neighbor's
marsh: but where It is possible to
burn in small patches such precau.
ticns are no longer necessary.
H B. MACPHERSON.