METHODS OF SLASH DISPOSAL 225 



lumber camps are logically the men for such an emergency 

 force. 



In conducting the broadcast burning fires are set at several 

 points on the leeward side of a block which is to be burned 

 over. The fires so started are prevented from crossing the 

 fire line and forced to burn against the wind. It is best to 

 burn only one block at a time and to have men patrolHng the 

 cleared lines to prevent the fire crossing. On areas where 

 the slash was heavy and contained large sized cull material the 

 fire may remain smoldering for several days 



Disposal of Slash by Lopping. — Lopping consists in the 

 cutting up of the slash into smaller pieces. In order to have 

 practical value the term must be made more definite in ac- 

 cordance with the specifications holding in the given locality. 

 For example the top lopping law of New York State requires 

 that all limbs three inches and over in diameter be severed 

 from the trunk and that tops be lopped down to the three 

 inch point. 



In theory lopping is designed to cut the slash up into 

 pieces of such size and shape as will He in close contact with 

 the ground, where they will absorb moisture and decay more 

 quickly.^ 



The lopping method may include scattering the lopped por- 

 tions of slash so as to avoid piles and windrows or it may 

 leave the lopped portions just as they He without further 

 handling. During the hauHng out of the logs the lopped tops 

 are Hkely to be thrown together into loose heaps. If a scat- 

 tering method is used the scattering must be done as the final 

 step after the logs have been yarded. 



The best time to carry on the lopping is in connection with 

 the trimming of the bole and bucking up the logs. 



Lopping is classed as a cheap method of slash disposal 

 compared with methods involving piHng. This is not the fact 



