92 BULLETIN 1105, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



The principles and policies herein to be broken down by heavy snows. 

 established are effective from date of The policy of cleau clltting groups 



issuance of this memorandum.' 



O. M. Butler, 



coincides with what has been said 



Assistant District Forester. regarding the desirability of creating 



Approved Jan. 23, 1917. stump patches 'as a means of promot- 



Paul G. Redixgton, ing reproduction. 



District Forester. 



BRUSH DISPOSAL. 



METHODS IN USE IN THE SOUTHWEST. 



Three methods of brush disposal are practiced by the Forest 

 Service in the Southwest, namely, piling and burning, scattering, 17 

 and pulling tops. The terms are essentially self-explanatory. In 

 piling and burning all branches are cut into convenient sizes for 

 handling and placed in compact piles, usually not exceeding 8 feet 

 in diameter, and, so far as possible, at safe distances from living 

 trees and young growth. Burning is carried out when weather con- 

 ditions are such as to prevent the fire from spreading, that is, during 

 the summer rainy season or preferably right after the first snows. 

 Scattering, as the term implies, consists of scattering the branches 

 in open spaces. In pulling tops, the unused tops are dragged by a 

 team into the openings, where they are left without further treat- 

 ment. The branches cut from used portions of the stem are usually 

 left as they fall, thus creating a condition resembling what in some 

 regions is designated as "lopping." It differs from the latter in 

 that the branches often project several feet into the air, whereas in 

 lopping they are usually cut, or lopped, so that they will lie close 

 to the ground. Although associated with pulling tops, this form 

 of disposal creates a more or less distinct condition and will be 

 recognized as such in the discussion which follows. It is a uniform 

 rule in all of the methods to leave no brush close to living trees 

 (the minimum distance varying from 15 to 25 feet) and to keep it 

 away from reproduction as far as possible. Of the ^iree methods, 

 pulling tops has been most extensively practiced on the Coconino 

 and Tusayan National Forests, while on other National Forests 

 in this region scattering has been the general rule. In all of the 

 methods which involve leaving brush on the ground fire lines 100 to 

 200 feet wide are made by piling and burning. 



INVESTIGATIONS REGARDING THE EFFECTS OF SCATTERING BRUSH, 1909-1918. 



There is a widespread opinion among foresters in the Southwest 

 that the chances for reproduction are improved by leaving the 

 brush on the ground in some form or other, either scattered, lopped, 



17 This method is officially designated as " lopping and scattering," but is here referred 

 to as " scattering " in order to avoid confusion with " lopping." 



