THE DEVELOPMENT OF A BRUSH-DISPOSAL POLICY FOR 

 THE YELLOW PINE FORESTS OF THE SOUTHWEST 



Comment uv Thj'Odore S. Wooi.sicv, Jr. 



Consiilt'mg Forester 



Professor Chapman gives a vahial)le history of the development of 

 brush disposal in District 3, where the problem is especially interesting 

 because of the long dry seasons and the consequent loss to regeneration 

 through drying out of seedlings. Obviously the best procedure is the 

 result of years of expense and evolution. On the other hand, one must 

 guard against conclusions based on observations during an unusually 

 wet season. 



There are a few statements in the article which are worth further 

 discussion, particularly the "Standard instructions for brush disposal 

 on the National Forests of New Mexico and Arizona, except Coconino 

 and Tusayan Forests," issued by the district and quoted by Chapman. 



Speaking of brush burning, Chapman says: "The summer rains of 

 the whole offer the best opportunity to an alert officer." The summer 

 is the busy field season and hence unsuitable. There is always danger 

 from fire damage to nearby trees but especially in summer where the 

 ground dries up after rains. From my own experience the best time 

 for brush burning is after the first snow fall, or in the spring before 

 the fire season and before growth commences. A good deal must 

 depend on the season's climatic conditions whether the fall or spring 

 is best, and the main object of burning must be emphasized — namely, 

 to reduce the fire risk — therefore the partial buniing of a pile is usually 

 sufficient, if the needles are all cleaned up by fire. The clean complete 

 incineration so often the aim seems to me to be unnecessarily expensive. 

 I believe the tendency will be away from refinements of brush disposal 

 rather than towards elaboration. As a general rule has not the Forest 

 Service spent too much on pure brush disposal rather than too little — 

 notwithstanding the fact that the cost does not come out of the appro- 

 priation, but instead out of the gross timber sale receipts? As early 

 as 1907 the acting supervisor at Flagstaff proposed fire lines with 

 partial brush disposal instead of wholesale brush wotk on the Greenlaw 



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