MANAGEMENT PLANS THE NATIONAL FORESTS 67 



before the next cut. The marker will also be less exacting regarding defects 

 in considering trees along the edges of openings or in parks or in any other loca- 

 tion where a tree is badly needed for seed or for otherwise assisting in extend- 

 ing the forest. 



Forked and leaning trees. — Trees will not be marked for cutting merely 

 because of a fork or slight lean. However, they should ordinarily be marked, 

 even though immature, if they have forks so located that an appreciably greater 

 quantity of the more valuable products will never be produced. Forks of 

 certain types split off or allow the entrance of disease. Knowledge of local 

 timber will indicate the need for marking trees with forks of a character subject 

 to such damage. 



Unless a tree leans to the extent that it will x)ossibly fall before a second cut, 

 or lose in value through distortion, or unless it is likely to rub or distort another 

 tree, it will not be marked merely because of the lean. 



Basal fire sca7's. — Basal fire scars are found on several species and are most 

 important on lodgepole pine and yellow pine. The damage done on individual 

 trees depends upon the size and character of the scar. In a great many cases, 

 particularly in yellow pine, the scars have become pitched over and consequently 

 have little or no bearing on the need for marking the tree. Marking will be 

 done because of scars only when the scars are really serious defects, retarding 

 growth or threatening the life of the trees. 



The policy in yellow pine will be to mark only such immature trees showing 

 these defects as have been so severely burned as to be reduced to shells, so that 

 they can not be expected to make satisfactory growth. However, basal fire 

 scars on all species should be examined critically, because if any rot exists, the 

 tree should invariably be marked. 



Canker. — Canker infections are important in lodgepole pine, for breakage 

 takes place and fungous diseases gain entrance at the point of infection. Trees 

 with the larger, more serious infections, should be marked ; but trees with small 

 cankers — unimportant from the above standpoint — should be marked only when 

 they can be removed as a thinning measure. 



Mistletoe-infected trees. — Mistletoe attacks a number of species, but is of most 

 frequent occurrence in this district on lodgepole pine and yellow pine. Heavily 

 infected trees are characterized by a general appearance of unthrlftiness ; poor, 

 thin crowns ; sickly, pale-colored, and often short needles ; distorted branches, 

 frequently dead or dying ; and the presence of witches brooms. 



As far as possible, all infected trees should be marked for cutting. Some 

 stands are so heavily infected that it is impossible to get rid of all the mistletoe 

 without practically clear cutting. In most lodgepole stands this treatment is 

 proper. In yellow pine this same treatment will be warranted in seriously 

 infected stands provided there is advance repfroduction or sufficient seed trees 

 remaining to restock the area. However, in the yellow-pine type care should be 

 exercised not to carry this policy to the extreme of marking thrifty, immature 

 trees having minor infections which manifestly will have little or no effect on 

 tree growth or on the spread of the parasite. 



Insect infestations. — The subject of insect infestations is too large to cover in 

 detail. Infestations of any consequence should be .promptly reported, with a 

 view to undertaking special control measures without delay in all cases where 

 conditions warrant. 



On the other hand, there is opportunity to reduce insect damage of a minor 

 nature and eliminate the infestation before it becomes serious through intelli- 

 gently directing the regular marking practice. Bark beetles cause the most 

 serious damage, and it is important that trees containing them be marked for 

 cutting and utilized before the broods emerge. 



Western yellow-pine type. — Saw timber will ordinarily be the major product 

 obtained in the management of this type. An exception may be made in the 

 case of occasional stands on steep slopes where saw-timber operations are not 

 feas-ible. or of isolated stands too small in area to justify a portable-mill 

 setting. Such stands may be handled for hewed ties. 



Thrifty, middle-aged, and young trees will be left as a basis for a second cut 

 and for seed distribution. Trees in the " black-jack " stage and thrifty " inter- 

 mediate " trees will not be cut unless they contain defects sufficient to warrant 

 their removal. Discretion must be exercised in marking immature trees on 

 account of defects — trees in openings or along the edge of openings should be 

 left, even though the defects they contain would warrant cutting if they were 

 located in normally dense stands. Trees with thin or flattened crowns are ordi- 



