34 THE WHITE PINE 



corky bark, many of them are comparatively 

 safe from direct injury from moderate surface 

 fires. But if a fire reaches the crown and burns 

 the leaves, the tree does not survive. Large 

 bodies of second-growth Pine were examined 

 which had been killed in this way. 



After lumbering the danger from fire is very 

 great, and especially where Hemlock has been 

 cut, because of its heavy crown and great quan- 

 tity of fine spray. As the tops lie on the ground, 

 a large surface is thus exposed to the action of 

 the wind and sun, and the whole mass becomes 

 exceedingly inflammable. The crown of the 

 Pine, on the other hand, is not only shorter, but 

 it is generally very much broken by the fall of 

 the tree. It furnishes, in consequence, far less 

 material to feed a fire. It may be said in pass- 

 ing that a very considerable source of danger 

 would be removed if it were possible for lumber- 

 men to break down the tops of lumbered trees. 

 Standing, as they often do at present, propped 

 clear of the ground on their leg-like branches, 

 they become as dry as tinder and burn with an 

 intense heat. The danger lasts long, for the 

 tops rot very slowly. If they could be brought 

 in contact with the ground their menace to the 

 forest would speedily disappear. 



In the spring, under the influence of the warm 



