FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSIONER. 213 



the forest. Indeed, it was difficult to find suitable examples, as it was, 

 to illustrate this condition. The majority of the tops had disappeared 

 entirely, as far as photographing was concerned, and it was necessary to 

 find the remains of a very large tree or a place where several trees had 

 fallen together in order to obtain the desired example. 



This cannot be said of the trees that were not lopped. Occasionally 

 one is found that was missed for some reason and no attempt made to 

 lop the branches. These are found to-day, elevated some distance above 

 the ground, supported by the under branches. The top itself shows some 

 decay because it has contained considerable moisture at all times. The 

 branches projecting from the top and sides and part even of the supporting 

 branches on the under side are hard and hornlike, and will remain for many 

 years to come a menace to the safety of the forest. 



More recent operations also show results favorable to lopping. The 

 brush is more closely packed upon the ground. This is true, even when 

 it is found in piles as the result of many tops lying together, or when collected 

 into piles in order to clear roadways for hauling to skidways, the piles are 

 lower and occupy less room. They will come in contact with the ground 

 more readily, retain the moisture more persistently and decay more rapidly. 

 This shortens the time necessary to guard against fire and in case a fire 

 gets started, the brush being lower, the fire is nearer the ground, men can 

 approach it more closely and it is less liable to communicate with the crowns 

 of the trees and start a crown fire than it is when the piles are higher. 



In addition to the benefits obtained, outlined above, relating to safety 

 from fire, there are others that are incidental, and yet of so great impor- 

 tance that even if the primary object of the law had failed the law would 

 have been worthy of a place on our statute books. 



Any one who has visited Nehasane park cannot fail to notice the 

 open and parklike appearance of the forest which is apparent even in photo- 

 graphs. In cutting the spruce to a ten-inch diameter limit the stand was 

 opened up to such an extent that it invited reproduction. Lopping the 

 branches hastened the decay of the debris so that to-day we have a most 

 desirable condition existing. The spruce that were left have acted as seed 

 trees to reseed the ground and there are coming on a vast number of young 

 spruce, balsam and hard woods to occupy the ground. The time is coming 



