THE RED SPRUCE. 61 
recedes from a fire and it is impracticable to build a new one, the. 
whole top is hauled near the fire by the skidders before being trimmed. 
The advantages of the method are several. The brush is disposed 
of as the logging proceeds, leaving the ground free for skidding. 
The cost of handling is kept to a minimum, since the branch wood 
is handled only once and does not require to be cut up small to insure 
being completely destroyed, since the tops burn readily, even on the 
snow or in stormy weather. The time of logging in these forests, 
particularly those in the Northeastern States and New York, is 
generally the late fall or early whiter when the weather is damp or 
snowy and the danger of the fire spreading is almost negligible. By 
this method a minimum of area is burned over, which is of importance 
when there is young growth on the ground to be protected. A too 
dense young growth or deep snow at the time of logging makes the 
method impracticable, but for the stands here considered these 
hindrances will seldom be encountered. 
BRUSH PILED FOR BURNING. 
Where cutting is done in the spring for peeled pulp wood the weather 
conditions may not be favorable for the use of the method just de- 
scribed. In this case the brush would be piled when convenient and 
the burning deferred until subsequent damp weather or until after 
the first snow of the succeeding winter. Brush piling is best carried 
on in conjunction with the cutting and skidding operations. It is 
then only necessary to employ one extra man, who cuts up and piles 
the branches as they are lopped from the stem. The brush is thus 
immediately cleared away for the skidding of the logs and a second 
handling avoided, which means a considerable saving in expense. 
Then, too, 'more efficient work results when the men who trim the 
pile work together. Supervision is also less costly when the brush 
piling is made a part of the logging work than when it is a separate 
operation. 
Brush piles should be small, not over 10 feet across and 6 feet high, 
with the branch wood closely and systematically piled, tops of the 
branches toward the center of the pile, the small branches in the 
bottom to facilitate the firing of the pile, and the piles well isolated 
from one another, from down logs, lopped tops, reproduction, and the 
trees to be left standing. Trimmed sticks leaned against the pile 
hold it in shape, keep it from being blown over, and render.it more 
compact for burning. Compactness in piling is the key to efficient, 
clean burning. Loosely piled brush requires repiling or constant 
tending when burning to insure complete destruction, both of which 
operations are expensive. The cost of piling and burning varies 
with the condition of the stand between 10 and 50 cents per thou- 
sand board feet of timber cut. 
