THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST 49 



too great a sacrifice of valuable existing hemlock. The first 

 of these conditions is confined chiefly to pure hemlock stands 

 and to coast regions where the fir is often too old to seed well. 

 The second may exist on the coast or in certain moist interior 

 regions where there is a heavy hemlock undergrowth. In 

 either case natural hemlock reproduction will be counted upon, 

 both because it is practically certain to occur and because if it 

 were not certain and artificial aid were necessary, we would 

 abandon hemlock entirely and devote our efforts to fir. In 

 short, discussion of hemlock as a second crop need not in- 

 clude systematic attempts to seed the ground but may be con- 

 fined to protection of what we have to begin with. 



In a straight hemlock proposition, the protection question 

 may differ considerably from that involved by deciding be- 

 tween fir and hemlock. In the latter case, because of the as- 

 sistance of fire to fir, the growth already on the ground must 

 have considerable value to warrant foregoing the several ad- 

 vantages of slash burning. In the former, slash burning has 

 no object except to reduce future risk. The inference is that 

 a much less promising stock of young growth is worth pro- 

 tecting. 



While this is true, there is danger of overestimating its 

 value, especially if care is not taken in logging. It has been 

 remarked that suppressed misshapen hemlock is not apt to 

 make a healthy growth, that windfall is a peril, and that if 

 the previous shade has been heavy, sudden opening to sunlight 

 may be fatal. It should also be remembered that even slightly 

 injured young hemlock is worthless, for it is almost certain 

 to be attacked by borers. Anything which deadens a small 

 portion of the bark like axe blazes, fire scorch, or scars from 

 strap leads, is dangerous. Hemlock is more liable than fir to 

 general defects like black streak, borers, fungous disease and 

 mistletoe, therefore investment in reforestation needs the 

 maximum safeguard against them. In many instances better 

 results may be obtained from a new healthy seedling stand 

 following a purifying fire, even at some loss of time, than 

 from well started young growth which is unhealthy and likely 



