FOREST FIRES 139 



seeded in by some light-seeded tree, such as the paper birch or 

 poplar, or must be planted. 



The composition of a New England forest is invariably injured 

 by fire, for it happens that the trees which first come up on burned 

 areas in addition to huckleberry, raspberry, and other shrubs, are 

 inferior, such as poplar, birch, and bird cherry. In northern 

 New England these often form pure forests after a fire. Seed- 

 lings of the original conifers may finally come in and in the course 



By permission of the Massachusetts Slate Forester. 



Fig. 49. The start of a forest fire on dry, sandy and brushy land. This could easily be 

 put out now by a patrolman, but if left alone soon will develop into a serious con- 

 flagration. 



of fifty or one hundred years the original character of the forest 

 reasserts itself. In regions where trees sprout after being killed 

 back by fire the character of the forest is not so greatly changed, 

 but the quality is seriously injured. 



The question often arises why it is that softwoods so frequently 

 succeed hardwoods when the latter are cut or burned off and vice 

 versa. It is largely a matter of seed supply, as may be easily 

 demonstrated by proper cutting of a forest. Softwoods can be 

 made to succeed themselves by leaving enough seed trees at the 

 time of cutting, and this is one of the most interesting problems 



