WESTERN YELLOW PINE IN OREGON. 37 



Ordinarily, a fire in yellow-pine woods is comparatively easy to 

 check. Its advance under usual conditions may be stopped by pa- 

 trolmen on a fire line a foot or so wide, either with or without back- 

 firing. The open character of the woods makes the construction of 

 fire fines relatively easy, and in many places horses may be used to 

 plow them. The first consideration is to remove the causes of fires, 

 and the second is to detect at their incipiency those that do start, 

 so that they may be suppressed before they have spread to an un- 

 wieldy size. With a system of lookouts and patrolmen, a convenient 

 supply of tools and laborers, a reasonably quick means of getting fire 

 fighters to all parts of a tract, and with the exercise of care not to 

 start fires, it is possible, at reasonable cost, to eliminate forest fires 

 larger in extent than a few acres from most of the yellow-pine forests 

 of Oregon. In a few particularly brushy areas, such as the southern 

 Cascades and Siskiyou Mountains, these precautions wiU give less 

 assin"ance of success. 



The following are samples of the provisions of proved practicability 

 wliich are placed in contracts between the Government and permittees 

 who are operating on the National Forests. 



In order to check the spread of forest-tree diseases and to eliminate snags which 

 constitute a fire menace , we agree to cut all trees or snags marked upon the sale area 

 whether merchantable or apparently unmerchantable; provided, however, that the 

 number of such trees and snags to be so cut shall not exceed an average of 2 per acre 

 for the whole area included in the sale. * * * 



During the period from May 1 to October 1 of each year all locomotives, donkey 

 engines, or other steam-power engines shall burn oil or shall be equipped with spark 

 arresters acceptable to the forest officer in charge, with a connected steam force pump 

 with not less than a 1-inch discharge, 100 feet of serviceable 1-inch fire hose, six 12- 

 quart pails, 6 shovels, and a constant supply of not less than the equivalent of 12 bar- 

 rels of water, this equipment to be suitable for fire-fighting purposes, and kept in serv- 

 iceable condition. During this period the purchaser may be required in the discretion 

 of the forest super\dsor to patrol all railroad tracks after the passage of each locomotive . 



No refuse shall be burned during the period from June 1 to October 1 of each year 

 without the \\Titten consent of the forest supervisor. 



Whenever necessary in the judgment of the forest officer, the purchaser shall clear 

 and keep clear the railroad rights of way of all inflammable material, including snags 

 and dead trees, for a distance of not to exceed 100 feet on each side of the center of 

 main and spur tracks, in such manner and at such times as may be designated by the 

 forest officer in charge. 



CUTTING THE MATURE TIMBER. 



Many of the trees in the virgin woods, though large enough to be 

 merchantable, are not mature or "ripe" (bull pines, so called), and 

 should not be cut until thoy reach their maximum volume produc- 

 tivity and })est quality. 



The sudden removal of the forest (;over in this dry (dimate is apt 

 so to expose the soil to sun and desiccating winds that its productive 

 capacity would be hissened, making difficult or impossible the stai't- 

 iiig of reproduction, a serious condition if there is not enough advance 

 reproduction on the ground. 



