70 COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION 



In this connection, it miist be borne in mind that the fire danger due to 

 the presence of brush is not so much from the larger branches as from 

 the small ones. It is the latter which ignite so readily when dry and 

 which carry the fire so fast in a dry time that control is often impossible 

 in old slashings. 



The lopping on Nehasane Park was dpne 12 years ago (1900), 

 under the forest working plan prepared for Dr. Seward H. Webb, 

 by H. S. Graves, now Chief of the U. S. Forest Service. This tract 

 affords probably the best example of the beneficial results of top-lopping 

 to be found on the continent to-day. The lopping was properly done 

 and the brush has now practically disappeared. The reproduction of 

 spruce and balsam is very fine. The cutting was for lumber and material 

 was removed only to a top diameter limit of approximately 10 inches. 

 Tops up to a foot in diameter which were so lopped that they rested 

 on the ground have either entirely disappeared or are so completely 

 rotted that they can easily be kicked to pieces. In this con- 

 dition there is practically no fire danger as the wood is too wet to 

 bum under any ordinary conditions, and would not make a blaze 

 even if dry. 



Where for any reason a top was not properly lopped, or brush was 

 left suspended in the air by stones, stvmips, or logs, the process of decay 

 has proceeded with exceeding slowness and this material will still btim. 

 The Superintendent of Nehasane Park stated that in his opinion the 

 fire danger resulting from the lumbering operation on that tract prac- 

 tically disappeared at the end of eight years. 



On the old Dr. Webb cutting of 16 years ago, (1896) on what is 

 now the Brandreth tract, the brush which was properly lopped and 

 piled has practically disappeared. What is left is the material in the 

 relatively numerous unlopped tops and in tops which were lopped and 

 left lying across stones, stumps, or logs so that it remained in the air. 

 The lopping on this tract was not so well done as on the Nehasane 

 tract, and for this reason the process of decay has not been so complete. 

 This must be considered in estimating the efficiency of the New York 

 top-lopping law, since, as indicated, only lopping is required, with no 

 direction as to getting the material on the grotmd. It is not to be 

 expected that as great care will be taken under the top-lopping law in 

 getting the material on the ground as was exercised on the Nehasane 

 tract. However, it is undoubtedly true that a very large percentage 

 of the debris wHl, under the ordinary observance of the law, reach the 

 ground, or piles resting on the ground, and the decay of this material 

 will within a few years result in isolating the balance of the debris to such 

 an extent that its character as a serious fire menace will verv largely 

 disappear. 



