32 COMPOSITE TYPE OX THE APACHE NATIONAL FOEEST. 



to a greater diameter than 22 or 23 inches. The rotation, then, should 

 not be longer than 140 years; and, should it be possible to dispose 

 advantageously of small sized material, might be 130, or even 120 

 years. 



BRUSH DISPOSAL. 



Over most of the type there is an excellent stand of young growth. 

 On these areas the brush should be piled. Where the degree of 

 exposure is great and where young growth is deficient, the brush 

 should be lopped and scattered. If there is great danger from fire, 

 however, this plan should not be rigidly adhered to. In such cases 

 the brush on narrow strips should be piled and burned. 



FIRE. 



The rank growth of grass over all of the type makes ground fires 

 likely at certain periods of the year. The large amount of precipita- 

 tion, however, greatly lessens the danger. The only times of danger 

 are short periods in the spring and fall. In the former, there is a dry 

 period from the time the snow melts until the summer rainy season 

 begins; and in the latter, from the end of the rains until snow falls. 

 The occurrence of fire in this latter period, however, is less probable, 

 since frost results in the grass being saturated for several hours during 

 the early part of each day. 



In the case of a ground fire, seedlings of all species will suffer greatly. 

 But few yellow pine and Douglas fir above the seedling stage will be 

 seriously damaged, due to the resistant character of then bark. 

 Spruce is more susceptible, and cases have been noted where sap- 

 lings and small poles of this species were killed outright by ground 

 fires where no appreciable damage w T as done either yellow pine or 

 Douglas fir. Likewise in spruce standards the scars from fires are 

 likely to be more serious, and probably often result in decay or death, 

 a result seldom seen in yellow pine or Douglas fir. 



The danger from fire after cutting will be greatly increased by the 

 large amount of inflammable slash. As a rule, fire lines should be 

 burned. These are especially necessary where the brush has been 

 scattered. 



GRAZING. 



As long as reproduction is sufficient, grazing within the composite 

 type should not be restricted, though it is important that it be regu- 

 lated at all times. Because of the excellent forage conditions there 

 is at present little or no damage done to reproduction b} T either sheep 

 or cattle. In view of this fact, and since the heavy stands of grass 

 remaining in the fall enhance the fire danger, areas within the type 

 should be grazed closely, but not beyond the point where there is 

 danger of depleting the range or of damaging the seedling growth. 



o 



