24 BULLETIN 1496, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
Four methods of slash disposal have been tried out in the Lake 
States at different times and under different conditions with varying 
results: (1) Broadcast burning, (2) piling and burning later, (3) 
piling and burning progressively as logging proceeds, and (4) lop- 
ping of tops without burning. 
BROADCAST BURNING 
At one time broadcast burning was the usual method used in Min- 
nesota. The accepted practice was to wait until a warm day in May 
and then to set a fire in the southwest corner of the slashing. This 
practice has not worked out well. The result of the broadcast burn- 
ing of slash has been that great areas have been cleared not only of 
slash but also of all the valuable trees that were left on the ground. 
Lumbermen burned the slash chiefly at the time when it would burn 
best, thereby causing much destruction of young growth. The trees 
killed by the slash fires have later fallen and created new fuel, often 
as great a fire menace as the original slashing. This method, even 
under the best auspices, is dangerous and results in unnecessary soil 
depletion. Broadcast burning of slash in the woods is, therefore, 
to be avoided under all conditions. No broadcast burning should 
be resorted tu even for clearing the land for agriculture. 
PILING THE SLASH AND BURNING LATER 
The method of piling slash after logging and burning the piles 
when weather conditions are favorable, usually late in the fall after 
the first snowfall or early in the spring, has been tried in Minnesota 
and Wisconsin. If the piles are small and not too close together, 
the result is usually a thorough burning. If the piles are too large 
or too close together, the fire is apt to become uncontrollable and 
result in a broadcast burn. It has been objected that the piles are 
often disturbed in skidding and have to be piled again before burn- 
ing, which increases considerably the cost of burning. If the slash 
disposal is planned and carried out properly this extra cost can be 
avoided entirely. 
PROGRESSIVE BURNING AT THE TIME OF LOGGING 
On the timber cuttings on the Minnesota National Forest and on 
some hardwood holdings in Michigan progressive burning at the 
time of logging is a method used with good results. Fire is started 
with some dry wood, and the green brush as it is produced is then 
piled upon the fire, the slash being completely disposed of as it is 
swamped. Asa result of burning progressively in advance of skid- 
ding, a team will skid 15 to 25 per cent more logs a day than where 
the brush left during logging makes it necessary to cut skid trails. 
This method has been thoroughly tried out in this region for nearly 
20 years and has proved successful and inexpensive. It has several 
distinct advantages: 
(1) It results in good slash disposal. 
(2) It removes the slash before skidding, which reduces the cost 
of logging. 
(3) It saves rehandling the slash. 
