THE RED SPRUCE. 61 



recedes from a fire and it is impracticable to build a new one, the 

 whole top is hauled near the fire by the skidders before being trimmed. 

 The advantages of the method are several. The brush is disposed 

 of as the logging proceeds, leaving the ground free for skidding. 

 The cost of handling is kept to a minimum, since the branch wood 

 is handled only once and does not require to be cut up small to insure 

 being completely destroyed, since the tops burn readily, even on the 

 snow or in stormy weather. The time of logging in these forests, 

 particularly those in the Northeastern States and New York, is 

 generally the late fall or early winter when the weather is damp or 

 snowy and the danger of the fire spreading is almost negligible. By 

 this method a minimum of area is burned over, which is of importance 

 when there is young growth on the ground to be protected. A too 

 dense young growth or deep snow at the time of logging makes the 

 method impracticable, but for the stands here considered these 

 hindrances will seldom be encountered. 



BRUSH PILED FOR BURNING. 



Where cutting is done in the spring for peeled pulp wood the weather 

 conditions may not be favorable for the use of the method just de- 

 scribed. In this case the brush would be piled when convenient and 

 the burning deferred until subsequent damp weather or until after 

 the first snow of the succeeding whiter. Brush piling is best carried 

 on in conjunction with the cutting and skidding operations. It is 

 then only necessary to employ one extra man, who cuts up and piles 

 the branches as they are lopped from the stem. The brush is thus 

 immediately cleared away for the skidding of the logs and a second 

 handling avoided, which means a considerable saving in expense. 

 Then, too, [more efficient work results when the men who trim the 

 pile work together. Supervision is also less costly when the brush 

 piling is made a part of the logging work than when it is a separate 

 operation. 



Brush piles should be small, not over 10 feet across and 6 feet high, 

 with the branch wood closely emd systematically piled, tops of the 

 branches toward the center of the pile, the small branches in the 

 bottom to facilitate the firing of the pile, and the piles well isolated 

 from one another, from down logs, lopped tops, reproduction, and the 

 trees to be left standing. Trimmed sticks leaned against the pile 

 hold it in shape, keep it from being blown over, and render it more 

 compact for burning. Compactness in piling is the key to efficient, 

 clean burning. Loosely piled brush requires repiling or constant 

 tending when burning to insure complete destruction, both of which 

 operations are expensive. The cost of piling and burning varies 

 with the condition of the stand between 10 and 50 cents per thou- 

 sand board feet of timber cut. 



