The old law enforced the burning of slash wherever 

 found, regardless of conditions and circumstances. It aroused 

 much opposition among the lumbermen, because they knew 

 that there were places where it was useless, and others 

 where it was not only useless but the next thing to impos- 

 sible. The ignoring of these local conditions was the weakest 

 point in the law. 



The attitude of the present State Forest Service toward 

 this problem which is of so much importance to lumbermen 

 is very clearly shown by the following circular letter from 

 that office directed to rangers throughout the northern end 

 of the State. In reading the letter it must be remembered 

 that these regulations are issued to sensible woodsmen, who 

 use their discretion and their judgment, based on years of 

 woods experience, in enforcing them. 



COPY OF CIRCULAR LETTER TO RANGERS REGARDING 

 DISPOSAL OF SLASH. 



MINNESOTA FOREST SERVICE. 



July, 1911. 



A. Slash on land which is to be cleared for farming should 



be effectively disposed of, either in pile or by burn- 

 ing the whole area, at such a time and with such care 

 as will prevent its spread to any adjacent lands. 



B. Lands not to be cleared in near future: 



(1) Where appreciable quantities of young and pos- 

 sibly merchantable timber is left standing, slash 

 should be piled and burned either as cutting pro- 

 ceeds or later, when conditions are more favor- 

 ble for safe burning, without endangering the 

 remaining ground growth and timber. 



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