APPENDIX, 163 



of getting it in some betlei- iihice; the reliability of the applicant, and 

 the price which shonid be obtained. The latter point is one of great 

 importance, and should be decided, not by general precedent in the re- 

 gion, but by the actual value of the timber as determined by its cluuacter, 

 difificulty to log, and distance from market. Timber on a gentle slope 

 and near a mill or drixable stream may lie worth more than twice that 

 made inaccessible by lack of roads or distance. The Forest Officer should 

 determine the cost of marketing all material and recommend prices 

 which will make it apjiroximately equally desirable. 



In the marking, cutting and scaling the following is to be noted : 

 If the application shall be approved, the Forester or Ranger (with 

 assistance if necessary) will mark at once all trees to be cut. This is 

 imperative in all cases involving living timber. AVliere only dead timber 

 is purchased, and there is no danger of confounding it with timber in 

 various stages of injury or disease, the marking of individual trees will 

 be dispensed with. In such instances the Forest Officer may sinijjly 

 blaze and mark the boundary of the cutting area and instruct the pur- 

 chaser in the manner of cutting. 



The marlving of standing timber must be done with the "State" stamp- 

 ing hammer, and all trees must be marked near the ground, in order that 

 +he stumjis may afford positive evidence of the marking. Where snow 

 may conceal such marking from the cutters, it Avill be necessary to 

 mark each tree at a point seveial feet from the ground also. 



Cutting in any case will not begin until the Forester is informed of 

 the fact that the timber has been awarded to the applicant or highest 

 bidder. 



From the time that cutting shall begin the Kanger or person en- 

 trusted with the scaling of the material shall make a report on the 

 progress of the cutting. This report sjiall be made on the regular 

 printed form prescribed for this purpose and submitted on the 15th 

 and at the end of each calendar month to the Forester of the district, 

 and by him transmitted to the Warden's office. 



It shall be the duty of the Ranger to see that the cutting shall be 

 confined to the least possible area and not distributed here and there 

 over the entire tract; also, that, so far as reasonable, all branches of 

 the logging operations keejj jtace with each other. In no instance will 

 the brush piling be allowed to fall behind the nranufacture and removal 

 of logs, ties, and other material. The ground must be cleared as fast 

 as the work proceeds. 



The manner of piling brush may be varied according to conditions, 

 but the object is always to insure ready and clean burning, as soon as 

 possible, with the least injury to standing timber and seedlings. The 

 piles should be compact and large enough to kindle easily and burn 

 clean without repiling. When possible, they should not be nearer than 

 15 feet from standing green trees or dead trees having many branches 

 or a covering of moss which might be ignited. Where the density of 

 the standing timber makes the above rule impracticable, openings should 

 be made by cutting, or, if this is not feasible, the piling should be near 

 the least valuable trees and where there is the least danger of the fire 

 spreading. All chunks, knotty sections, or other unutilized portions of 

 trees, as well as the branches, must be piled, and as much of such ma- 

 terial as possible sliould be piled together to insure clean burning.. 



