126 FARM DEVELOPMENT 



mulching or by otherwise controlling the amount of 

 moisture these and the bacteria would be encouraged to 

 do their work more rapidly. 



Burning is a convenient method of removing logs, 

 brush and stumps, and the ashes have a value as fer- 

 tilizer. Some care is required in piling green or wet logs 

 or stumps so that when set on fire they will be com- 

 pletely consumed. Since labor is required to collect and 

 repile the partially burned wood, which is so charred on 

 the outer surface that it will not readily start to burn, 

 the manner of piling the first time is of importance. 

 Waiting until the piled wood has had ample time to dry 

 before setting it on fire is often necessary. Intelligence 

 and care are required to avoid fire spreading into 

 adjoining forests and fields. When the season is ex- 

 cessively dry and the danger considerable it is often best 

 to defer the burning until rains have made the grass 

 and leaves on surrounding lands less inflammable. 

 Skidding logs together, raising them on the heap, and 

 drawing the stumps into advantageous positions for their 

 complete burning requires a constant exercise of intel- 

 ligence. 



Partial clearing for grass lands. Frequently the ex- 

 pense of removing the largest stumps from a field which 

 is to be cultivated is so great that until the stumps 

 have partially decayed, farmers must farm around them, 

 but the general practice should be, as far as practicable, 

 to clear thoroughly whatever is begun. In " cut over" 

 fields, which cannot be at once cleared of all the stumps, 

 valuable pasturage may be had by clearing out and burn- 

 ing only the shrubs, small trees and down timber. The 

 stumps may thus be left for the rotting process to make 

 their removal easier at a later date. Where there are 

 valuable young trees still growing, these, too, may be 

 left and only the open spaces cleared out to be seeded 

 to the grasses and clovers desired for pasturage. Since 



