MARKING RULES FOR IDAHO AND MONTANA 667 



or above. The objects of marking for the western white pine type, 

 inchiding the one concerned in the health of the forest, are given as 

 follows : 



1. To secure a second cut (or cuts) from stands already established. 



2. To harvest the crops and establish a new stand, and to secure the 

 benefit of increased growth on any trees w'hich may be left. 



3. To reduce the proportion of undesirable associate species to a 

 minimum, or at least to a point where they will not interfere with the 

 reproduction and growth of the more valuable species. 



4. To reduce or attempt to eliminate forest-tree diseases in the 

 stand, and in so doing increase the health of the stand and the produc- 

 tion of sound timber. To prevent the loss by rot of trees left standing 

 on an area. To prevent the loss by windfall due to fungi of valuable 

 seed trees before the area is properly reseeded. 



Sections i, 2, and 3 are taken from the Forest Service marking rules 

 for western white pine.^ 



Before proceeding further with a discussion of the application of the 

 above objects, it will be of value to emphasize the need of forest sani- 

 tation in our forests, or at least in certain portions of them where the 

 economic conditions will permit of the additional cost. 



THE NEED OF FOREST SANITATION 



Forest sanitation is the means by which a proper degree of forest 

 hygiene is attained in respect to forest-tree diseases in certain stands of 

 valuable timber. Forest sanitation is a means to an end. and forest 

 hygiene is the ultimate goal. Certain stands are specified because at 

 the present stage of forestry in the forests of the Northwest intensive 

 methods of disease control are out of the question for any considerable 

 portion of the vast forested area. Meinecke,^ Weir,^ and others* have 

 expressed this idea in discussions of forest pathological problems. 

 Forest sanitation under present conditions must, therefore, be re- 

 stricted in its application to Forest Service timber sale areas or similar 

 operations by private operators, and only to those where the method of 

 cutting and economic considerations allow of any measure of control. 

 Aside from the above, certain general rules aimed at reducing the 

 chances of infection may, however, be observed at all times on any area 

 where forest improvements are made. The methods by which forest 

 sanitation is best attained are methods which have to deal principally 

 with the elimination of standing undesirable trees and the disposal of 



