LOGGED-OFF LANDS. 39 



species to reproduce successfully. If fire is to run, it is usually safer 

 to burn at that time in the spring when the slashing is inflammable 

 but the surrounding woods are still too wet to be in danger than to 

 allow a large area to remain unburned until the dry season, when lire 

 is sure to be destructive. 



In the coast region, owing to the frequent rains, the burning of the 

 slashings as a precautionary measure is not so necessary as it is inland. 

 Therefore, before adopting it in order to facilitate the reseeding of 

 Fir, it should be ascertained whether it would not be more profitable to 

 give up Fir altogether and make the most of the Hemlock. To decide 

 this question a careful study of conditions on the ground is necessary. 

 The amount and condition of young Hemlock must be excellent in 

 order to make it worth preserving should there be a chance of obtain- 

 ing Fir by its removal. (PI. X, fig. 2.) A few half -grown trees are 

 of little value, for without shade they will not clear themselves of 

 branches. (PI. X, fig. 1.) An undergrowth of suppressed, misshapen 

 Hemlocks a few feet high, such as is often seen in dense timber, is not 

 apt to make a health}^ growth. In fact, the sudden advent of light 

 often destroys Hemlock which has grown in the shade. Where such 

 conditions prevail, and if the Fir in the vicinity can be counted on to 

 reproduce itself upon the logged-off area, it is unprofitable to adopt a 

 method favorable only to Hemlock. 



It should be remembered, however, that, where the ground is cov- 

 ered by a foot or more of rotten wood and humus, fire ma}' kill the 

 young Hemlock and still not expose the soil sufficiently to encourage 

 germination of Fir. Even slightly injured Hemlock is worthless, for 

 it is almost certain to be attacked by borers. Blazes, fire scorch, and 

 scars from rigging, in fact, anything which deadens a small portion of 

 the bark, encourages their entrance. Other insects and parasites 

 should also be remembered. In a region where such enemies of Hem- 

 lock as black streak, borers, and Arceuthobium are prevalent, it 

 would be wise to destroy a fair growth of Hemlock for the sake of a 

 much younger stand of the more hardy Fir. 



To sum up, where Fir is a poor seeder and where it is desirable to 

 prevent fire entirely from the first, there is little use in trying to get 

 anything but Hemlock for a second crop, and in such a case there is 

 nothing to do except to protect the slashing from tire. Where the Fir 

 left standing is vigorous enough to son\ freely and a fairly clean burn 

 can be secured, it would often seem the best policy to fire the slashing 

 in the spring. It is the purpose of this report, however, to deal not 

 with Red Fir problems, but with those of regions in which reproduc- 

 tion of Red Fir is impracticable. Assuming, then, that from observa- 

 tion the owner of timber land is satisfied that the second growth will 

 be chiefly of Hemlock, lie will naturally wish to know how long it will 

 be before it will produce merchantable timber, what its value will be. 

 and how much it will have cost him. In order to answer these ques- 



