WOODLOT FORESTRY. n 



9. Fell all trees over eight inches in diameter at the butt with 

 saws, in order that the felling, direction may be better controlled 

 and the stumps left smoother. Trees less than eight inches in 

 diameter may be chopped. 



10. Protect the unmarked trees from injury when felling the 

 marked trees by carefully choosing the felling direction. 



11. Pile all brush in openings or on chestnut stumps, where it 

 can be burned without damage to the remaining trees (see Fig. 



7). 



12. Cut suppressed and dying undergrowth and pile it with 

 the other refuse, but spare the laurel and all live young trees. 



These rules will apply to almost any New Jersey woodlot. It 

 is not necessary, however, that the underbrush be cut or the tops 

 piled and burned in an ordinary operation. Underbrush forms 

 a natural part of a forest, and the tops of felled trees, if lopped 

 and scattered, will soon decay and form humus. A further 

 reason for leaving the tops to decay is that the standing trees 

 may be injured when the brush piles are burned. There is no 

 real need of burning brush in a hardwood forest ; when it is care- 

 fully done, however, it somewhat lessens the risk of forest fires. 

 The brush was burned at Mount Laurel because it was desirable 

 to make a neat and sightly natural park for the use of the local 

 citizens, as well as to furnish an object lesson in forestry. 



CLEANING UP. 



After the cutting was completed the cleaning up of the refuse 

 became the immediate problem. Men with forks, rakes, sprink- 

 ling pots and water were ordered to burn the brush piles. If a 

 pile was so located that the flames would not overheat the sur- 

 rounding trees, a fire line four to six feet wide was raked around 

 the heap down to mineral earth and a match applied. Each pile 

 had to be watched until all danger of its jumping across the fire 

 line was passed. Whenever a fire got started away from the 

 brush piles it was promptly extinguished by means of the sprink* 

 ling pots. All piles which were too large or not properly located 

 with reference to remaining trees were divided or moved before 



