934 JOURNAL OF FORESTRY 



to the leaving of slash, as European forests are generally considered 

 to be. 



The experiments were first conducted under the easiest conditions, 

 namely, in jack-pine timber, on small tracts, in somewhat open and 

 even-aged stands without heavy brush, and on sandy land where the 

 fire could not run easily. The brush was piled while the operation went 

 on and burned later. Spruce forest was chosen for the next experi- 

 ment, and here also results were satisfactory, even though the litter 

 customary on the forest floor of such forests would seem to offer a 

 dangerous possibility for fire getting beyond control in the burning 

 process. At the outset, caution dictated that the piling of the brush 

 be done by the operators and the burning by the forest rangers. Sub- 

 sequently, however, both piling and burning were given into the hands 

 of the operators, and it was found that burning immediately after the 

 trees had been cut gave the most satisfaction and proved the safest 

 method. 



The cost of this slash disposal varied from 25 to 75 cents per thou- 

 sand feet board measure, according to the efficiency of the operators 

 after some experience, their spirit of willingness or unwillingness to 

 adopt this new method appearing greatly to influence their efficiency ; 

 that is to say, the higher cost was maintained for work done by operators 

 who contended that the experiment would not work, while the lower 

 cost was the result where workers started in with the idea that the 

 work would be done well and quickly. 



Not the least of the benefits derived from these experiments is the 

 admission by a majority of the operators that this is the proper method 

 of handling slash to insure protection against fire, some also adding 

 that having the brush out of the way facilitates further operations to 

 such an extent that they regard the cost of its removal as practically nil. 



Pit Props from Newfoundlaxd 



The need of pit props in Great Britain has drawn attention to New- 

 foundland's timber resources and to a development of a mine timber 

 trade with that colony. Again the announcement that to relieve the 

 shortage in newsprint paper in the States the Harmsworth's Anglo- 

 Newfoundland Development Company has olTered to ship its output 

 largely to the States has also called attention to the forest resources of 

 the colony, and especially to the operations of the x\nglo-Newfound- 

 land Development Company. 



It is claimed that of the 42,734 square miles, which the colony repre- 



