16 CHESTNUT IN TENNESSEE. 



PROTECTION. 



Young chestnut is so subject to fire damage that it is of first 

 importance to protect young stands. Old timber with thicker bark 

 is less injured, though it cannot be burned without some injury. 

 While the protection of large tracts is difficult and costly, thick 

 stands and heavy yields of sound timber cannot be obtained unless 

 fires are prevented. There is a striking contrast in the condition 

 of the young timber on repeatedly .burned coaled-over land, and 

 the same class of timber in farmers' woodlots which have had few, 

 or no fires. The yield of the burned stands is seldom two-thirds 

 that of protected stands, and the timber is of inferior quality. 



Posting the forest fire laws of the State, co-operation with ad- 

 joining land owners, and regulating of nut gathering and grazing, 

 all these will help to solve the fire problem. Assistance in fighting 

 fires should be required for the privilege of gathering nuts or pas- 

 turing cattle. On large tracts it is possible to maintain a patrol, 

 but it is seldom practicable to establish cleared fire lines. A patrol 

 would undoubtedly be the best manner of protecting recently cut- 

 over land and young timber. Fire guards would be required only 

 during the dry and windy weather, at which times arrangements 

 should be made for securing help promptly when needed. Small 

 tracts, particularly those connected with farms, are more easily 

 protected. Fires are discovered earlier, before they have made 

 great headway, and as a rule assistance for fighting them can more 

 readily be secured. In fighting fire, young timber should be given 

 first consideration, since it is more easily damaged. When clean 

 cutting or heavy culling is practiced, especially summer cutting, it 

 may be necessary to pile and burn slash. This may not be neces- 

 sary after moderate culling, especially if the trees are not in foliage, 

 or if the tops are closely utilized for extract wood. As a rule it is 

 desirable if hemlock or pine are mixed with chestnut and are 

 cut with it. 



Land in process of restocking either by sprouts or seedlings 

 should never be pastured. After it is restocked and the top shoots 

 of the young trees have grown out of reach of stock, limited pas- 

 turage can be permitted as in old stands. In any case, the num- 

 ber of cattle grazed should be carefully regulated, especially on 

 recently cut-over land, so that no damage will result. 



