Possibilities of a Second Cut 17 



which would be due to increased stumpage values rather than 

 growth. 



BRUSH DISPOSAL 



The mature trees are fairly safe from fire injury before logging, 

 but the burning of the slash following logging will destroy prac- 

 tically all young timber. This menace can be avoided with slight 

 additional expense. The remaining trees are able to endure any 

 fire that is no hotter than the average surface fire that consumes 

 six to eight years' accumulation of litter and needles. To avoid 

 injury to the trees left after logging, it will be necessary (1) to 

 keep the tops of the fallen timber about ten feet away from young 

 standing trees; (2) to burn these tops when the flames will not be 

 too hot, but will consume most of the needles and small twigs. 



The first object may be accomplished at the time of logging by 

 felling the trees away from small timber, and by lopping branches 

 from tops which lie too close to young timber. It may occasion- 

 ally be necessary to drag small tops away from young trees. The 

 work can be done at slight expense by utilization of the present 

 force under proper supervision. 



Cutting and piling the tops cannot be justified for private 

 operations in southern yellow pine. The burning must be done 

 broadcast. Fire should be set in the slash as soon as possible 

 after logging, but always when conditions are favorable. The 

 rule should be to burn as soon as fire will take hold and never after 

 the weather becomes dry and hot. To prevent hot fires in the 

 slash during the summer months, all land should be burned over 

 before logging and again as soon as possible afterwards, unless 

 it seems feasible to keep fire out until rains occur. The problem 

 of safe burning without injury to the remaining timber rests on 

 intelligent supervision. 



If the reserve timber is brought through this first burning, it 

 can be successfully protected from subsequent fires, and it will be 

 in condition to seed down the whole area and give rise to an 

 abundant crop of seedlings. After the first six to eight years the 

 seedlings will be large enough to survive moderate surface fires. 



FINANCIAL ASPECTS 



Since the leaving of a portion of the stand which would other- 

 wise be cut takes the form of an investment, the probable returns 

 should be calculated. Assuming that 2,630 feet b.m. per acre 

 left standing will increase in ten years to 4>,4>66 feet b.m., this 

 computation is easily made. 



