240 



Canadian Forestry Journal, May, ip20. 



clearing. One side was cleared before 

 it was burned, and the other after, 

 and a strict account of the time and 

 men employed was kept. This 

 showed that the clearing before the 

 fire took at the rate of one man 

 forty-four (44) hours to clear an acre, 

 and after the fire, one man eight 

 liours for the same area. This means 

 that it took five and a half times as 

 much work to clear an acre before 

 firing as it did afterwards, or, in other 

 words, the cost of clearing was re- 

 duced by firing, over eighty (80) per 

 cent, or $r.oo is doing what $5.50 did 

 before. 



On May i8th, when we considered 

 that the time had arrived for the best 

 results, we fired the whole area, or, 

 to be more exact, that portion of it 

 -not burned over in the experiment 

 prior to that date. 



Soil Not Injured. 

 Six soil samples were taken before 

 the lire, and from the same places 

 six were taken after the fire. Here 

 too, an effort was made to get as 

 nearly representative conditions as 

 possible. One sample, however, was 

 given a very severe test, a much more 

 severe test than would occur in ac- 

 tual burning operations. This sample 

 was taken in the area previously 

 mentioned, which was cleared before 

 the fire. A pile of logs five feet high 

 and ten feet wide was made over the 

 spot, and when burned the flames 

 went fifty feet into the air, and it 

 was impossible to remain closer than 

 one hundred feet. All tests showed 

 practically no damage to soil, and in 

 the case of the extremely severe test 

 mentioned above there was an in- 

 crease of organic matter. (Soil an- 

 alysis made by C. J. Lynde, Profes- 

 sor of Physics, Macdonald College.) 



To one not conversant with condi- 

 tions in Northern Alberta these re- 

 sults are hard to understand. The 

 ground at this season of the year is 

 saturated with water from the win- 

 ter snow, and the frost is out only 

 near the surface. The hottest fire 

 takes place where there is the thick- 

 est mat of grass and material, and it 

 is here that the most moisture and 

 frost is retained in the ground on ac- 

 count of the protection thus afforded 



from the warm rays of the sun. In 

 the extremely severe test quoted 

 above, the ground was still saturated 

 with water, and the frost was only 

 to a depth of six or eight inches. 

 Where the ground has dried out it is 

 because of the lack of covering and 

 protection from the sun, and where 

 the condition prevails there cannot 

 l)e sufficient fire to burn the soil be- 

 cause of this lack of combiv^tiljlc 

 material. 



Now let us deal with the results of 

 the main fire, set at a time when we 

 had concluded from our daily experi- 

 ments, that the maximum results 

 would be obtained. Wherever there 

 was a good mat of old grass excellent 

 results were obtained. Most of the 

 dry material, windfall andb rule not 

 lying flat on the ground was consum- 

 ed. That lying flat on the ground 

 was in some cases consumed, but 

 more often only reduced in size and 

 burned through in several places, 

 thus making it easier to handle. All 

 green trees an dwillows are fire kill- 

 ed, and in some cases burned com- 

 pletely through. The results obtain- 

 ed were in direct proportion to the 

 amount of old grass, which must be 

 the chief carrying agent for the fire 

 and source of kindling for the larger 

 material. Of the twelve quarters ex- 

 perimented on, eleven are now taken 

 up by returned men, and the only 

 quarter remaining, I have reason to 

 believe, is left because it is isolated 

 from any other quarter open for en- 

 try. Most men prefer to take the 

 full half section allotted to them. 

 This land was takken because of its 

 improved condition after burning. 



OUR SPEAKERS' BUREAU. 



If you have an opportunity to ad- 

 dress audiences, juvenile or adult, in 

 your community, we will be glad to 

 identify you with our Speakers' Bu- 

 reau and supply you with interesting 

 lectures. 



This is a-n opportunity for a vital 

 public service in the cause of Forest 

 Conservation. 



Canadian Forestry Association, 



Jackson Building, 



Ottawa, Canada. 



