NATIONAL FOREST MANUAL TIMBER SALES. 49 



the opening in which they are made and sufficiently compact to 

 kindle easily and burn cleanly. Limbs or trimmed tops too large 

 to burn well need not be piled, but may be left on the ground to rot. 

 The ideal pile is of medium size, conical in shape, compact, 5 to 7 feet 

 in diameter at the base, and 4 or 5 feet high. 



When brush can not be piled on account of snow, and the contract 

 does not provide for postponement, the necessary 

 pmng tp nement f modification should be granted by the proper Forest 

 officer, in accordance with the instructions on page 33. 

 Brush will be scattered whenever this method promises the best 

 scatterin silvicultural results, unless there is serious danger of 



fire, or where there is dense timber or reproduction. 

 The scattered brush should be dense enough to afford actual protec- 

 tion to seedlings from evaporation or trampling by stock and to the 

 soil from erosion. Ordinarily brush will be lopped so as to He not 

 higher than 2 feet from the ground. Less careful work may be suffi- 

 cient in openings where the object is to keep cattle or other stock 

 away from expected reproduction. 



Ground burning may be advisable where clean cutting has been 

 Ground burning employed, to expose the loose, mineral soil for better 



seed germination. 



Where ground burning is adopted, the brush and debris will be 

 left unpiled until conditions make it safe to burn the entire slashing. 

 To follow this plan the agreement must require the purchaser to clear 

 a fire line around the area to be burned and around all patches of 

 timber within it which are to be left, and to furnish adequate help to 

 the Forest officer who supervises the burning. 



Frequently the most economical way to dispose of brush, if 

 weather conditions are suitable, is to burn it as the 

 cutting progresses. Fires can be started at con- 

 venient points and the brush thrown on them as it 

 is lopped. This js often feasible after light snow falls. 



Brush burning is necessary whenever there is danger of fire, but 



ordinarily is not advisable over an entire sale area. 



P iSs Uri It is frequently possible to burn the brush so as to 



form broad fire fines, particularly along railroads or 



wagon roads, laid out so as to do the least injury to young growth. 



Fire lines will ordinarily follow ridges rather than canyons and will 



be laid out according to the topography. Where to burn brush 



completely means damage to reproduction, unburned piles will be 



left, if they are not too close together. The effect of burning on 



grazing and future reproduction will be carefully weighed. 



The best times for brush burning are after a light fall of snow or 

 Time . rain, early in the spring before the snow has melted 



or the dry season has begun, or during or immediately 

 after summer rains. 



The proper method of disposing of brush from insect-infested 



Brush from insect trees must depend upon the habits of the insects by 



Sfected t?ees fungus w ^ c ^ ^ e ^F 668 are attacked. The brush from 



fungus or mistletoe infected trees which constitute 



a menace will be burned. 



