WESTERN YELLOW PINE IN OREGON. 37 
Ordinarily, a fire in yellow-pine woods is comparatively easy to 
check. Its advance under usual conditions may be stopped by pa- 
trolmen on a fire line a foot or so wide, either with or without back- 
firing. The open character of the woods makes the construction of 
fire lines relatively easy, and in many places horses may be used to 
plow them. The first consideration is to remove the causes of fires, 
and the second is to detect at their incipiency those that do start, 
so that they may be suppressed before they have spread to an un- 
wieldy size. With a system of lookouts and patrolmen, a convenient 
supply of tools and laborers, a reasonably quick means of getting fire 
fighters to all parts of a tract, and with the exercise of care not to 
start fires, it is possible, at reasonable cost, to eliminate forest fires 
larger in extent than a few acres from most of the yellow-pine forests 
of Oregon. In a few particularly brushy areas, such as the southern 
Cascades and Siskiyou Mountains, these precautions will give less 
assurance of success. 
The following are samples of the provisions of proved practicability 
which are placed in contracts between the Government and permittees 
who are operating on the National Forests. 
In order to check the spread of forest-tree diseases and to eliminate snags which 
constitute a fire menace , we agree to cut all trees or snags marked upon the sale area 
whether merchantable or apparently unmerchantable; provided, however, that the 
number of such trees and snags to be so cut shall not exceed an average of 2 per acre 
for the whole area included in the sale. * * * 
During the period from May 1 to October 1 of each year all locomotives, donkey 
engines, or other steam-power engines shall burn oil or shall be equipped with spark 
arresters acceptable to the forest officer in charge, with a connected steam force pump 
with not less than a 1-inch discharge, 100 feet of serviceable 1-inch fire hose, six 12- 
quart pails, 6 shovels, and a constant supply of not less than the equivalent of 12 bar- 
rels of water, this equipment to be suitable for fire-fighting purposes, and kept in serv- 
iceable condition. During this period the purchaser may be required in the discretion 
of the forest supervisor to patrol all railroad tracks after the passage of each locomotive. 
No refuse shall be burned during the period from June 1 to October 1 of each year 
without the written consent of the forest supervisor. 
Whenever necessary in the judgment of the forest officer, the purchaser shall clear 
and keep clear the railroad rights of way of all inflammable material, including snags 
and dead trees, for a distance of not to exceed 100 feet on each side of the center of 
main and spur tracks, in such manner and at such times as may be designated by the 
forest officer in charge. 
CUTTING THE MATURE TIMBER. 
Many of the trees in the virgin woods, though large enough to be 
merchantable, are not mature or "ripe" (bull pines, so called), and 
should not be cut until they reach their maximum volume produc- 
tivity and best quality. 
The sudden removal of the forest cover in this dry climate is apt 
so to expose the soil to sun and desiccating winds that its productive 
capacity would be lessened, making difficult or impossible the start- 
ing of reproduction, a serious condition if there is not enough advance 
reproduction on the ground. 
