DISPOSAL OF INFECTED SLASH 41 



was thus able to draw upon the ground moisture. He also states that 

 the fungi found attacking branches lying in contact with the ground 

 were of the type which needed moisture for their development. This 

 group of fungi includes those normally found attacking stumps and 

 posts. 



Field Data 



In order to secure an idea of the number of sporophores of fungi 

 found developing upon infectc! slash on cut-over areas, data were 

 collected from various localities in Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and 

 Minnesota. 



The writer has collected data on eighteen separate Forest Service 

 sale-areas and three private operations in Idaho and Montana, cover- 

 ing the principal types in District 1 (Northern District) in which 

 timber sales are active. Sample plats were taken on ten of these and 

 only a few are given in connection with this paper. 



Before presenting the data it would be well to define the term 

 "slash." In the strict forestry sense "slash" is defined as the debris 

 left upon the ground as a result of logging, wind or fire.^' In this 

 discussion the term "slash" is intended to cover all the debris left upon 

 the ground as a result of logging, with the exception of all debris 

 included under the term "brush." Brush ordinarily includes material 

 up to, and including -i inches in diameter. 



A few random observations are first presented in order to show the 

 common occurrence of sporophores of some of the most important 

 fungi upon down material. 



In this connection it is necessary to point out that the period when 

 the sporophores were produced, whether before logging or following, 

 was determined by the positions of the sporophores on the down ma- 

 terial. The horizontal axes of those produced after logging are 

 approximately at right angles to those produced while the tree was 

 standing. 



In the Priest River region of Idaho in 1914 several trees of Western 

 hemlock and grand fir were felled and dissected in a study of the 

 heart rot caused by Bchinodontiuni tinctorium. These trees were cut 

 into various lengths and many notches were cut in the logs during 

 the process of the study. The site is a damp and very shaded area 

 located upon a small "island" formed by the river. In 1!)15 the area 

 was visited, and it was found that two hemlock logs and five grand fir 

 logs bore a total of nine young sporophores of Bchinodontimn tinc- 

 torium in the notches, at the sawcfl cn(U and upon the lower and 



