EARLY CUTTINGS IN LODGEPOLE PINE 



151 



remembered that these windrows of 

 brush cover twenty to thirty per cent, 

 of the area, and that reproduction is 

 excluded from the brush-covered area, 

 it is apparent that the removal of 

 brush is important. 



The size of the cuttings ranges from 

 a few hundred to many thousands of 

 acres. The shape of most of them is 

 very irregular, but invariably the lower 

 slopes are cut and the best timber re- 

 moved. Probably about 200,000 acres 

 tributary to Butte were clear cut in 

 this manner prior to the organization 

 of the National Forests. At that time 

 no adequate restrictions were placed 

 upon the cutting and the results are 

 shown in the amount and condition of 

 the reproduction to-day. As lodgepolc 

 pine is one of the best species to repro- 

 duce itself under adverse conditions, 

 much can be expected of it when man- 

 aged properly. But even this prolific 

 and well-equipped species has failed to 

 do well when unrestricted clear cut- 

 ting was practised. The old cuttings 

 in the Butte mining region show this 

 all too clearly. 



Besides the wholesale slaughtering 

 of the forest around the minins: cen- 

 ters, there were other less severe cut- 

 tings wherever railroads pierced the 

 country or mines were developed. 

 Along all the railroads are many tie 

 cuttings upon which reproduction is 

 usually present but not in sufficient 

 quantity to produce high-grade mate- 



rial. In the small mine cuttings this 

 also applies. In most cases these classes 

 of cuttings are selection, which system 

 is not suitable for the lodgepole pine 

 type. 



Where fire has repeatedly run over 

 the country the conditions are still 

 worse. While a light fire at the right 

 time may be beneficial to lodgepole 

 pine reproduction, repeated fires are a 

 decided injury. 



It is pretty hard to predict the fu- 

 ture of these old cuttings, but it is safe 

 to say that one-half of their area will 

 be without reproduction for a long 

 time and that the greater part of the 

 other half will have an inferior stand 

 because of insufficient density of the 

 young growth. 



Before the inauguration of a vigor- 

 ous forest policy by the Government 

 through the Forest Service, this was 

 the kind of cutting which prevailed 

 in the 'West. Stands of timber were 

 stripped off without a measure or even 

 a thought for the future. In spite of the 

 short time the Government forests 

 have been under intelligent manage- 

 ment the results are now beginning to 

 be realized and are apparent to every 

 one. With proper silvicultural treat- 

 ment and protection, such as is given 

 the National Forests, all this loss could 

 have been prevented. Instead of the 

 present barren areas and areas with 

 sparse reproduction, there might be 

 thrifty, well-stocked stands growing 

 into a high-class future forest. 



