TIMBER GROWING IN" THE LODGEPOLE PINE REGION 17 
Cutting methods will be discussed in detail in the succeeding sec- 
tion of the bulletin under the heading " Desirable practice for ob- 
taining fuller and more valuable timber crops." As the prime re- 
quisites for mere forest productivity, fire protection, and slash dis- 
posal are presented here. 
FIRE PROTECTION 
Although natural reproduction can usually be readily obtained, 
adequate fire protection is by far the most important measure for 
insuring that forest lands shall continue in a productive state. It 
has additional importance in view of the necessity for making certain 
that watersheds shall be adequately protected. 
The first essential in fire suppression is that forest fires be located 
quickly, reached promptly, and controlled and extinguished before 
they spread. The earlier discussion of present protective agencies 
has indicated how the protective organization should function to 
accomplish this and in what manner it should be equipped. The goal 
should be an organization that will make it possible for at least 
one man to reach any point on the protected area, prepared to fight 
a fire, within the requisite number of hours after time of discovery. 
This requisite period may be fairly accurately defined for the dif- 
ferent forest types and timber stands. It is termed the " hour 
control." 
In the lodgepole pine and Douglas fir types, the objective should 
be a 2-hour control for mature stands and a 1-hour control for areas 
of special hazard such as cut-over lands where slash has been lopped, 
and for extensive areas of reproduction. In the Engelmann spruce 
type, a 4-hour control is sufficient for mature stands and a 2-hour 
control in localities of special hazard. 
These objectives require an organization of the size already de- 
scribed as effective on the national forests; namely, an average of 
about 1 man for each 150,000 acres in the lodgepole pine and Douglas 
fir types and 1 man for each 200,000 acres in Engelmann spruce. 
This force is exclusive of lookout men and temporary assistants. 
Except for the special improvements necessary, such as roads, trails, 
telephone lines, lookout towers, and cabins, which vary greatly in 
different localities, this protection should cost, as already stated, 
about 1.5 cents per acre for the pine and fir types and about 1 cent per 
acre for spruce. 
Other measures affect directly the individual forest users and 
residents and depend for their success entirely on the degree of 
interest and cooperation that these persons contribute. 
Oil should be used for fuel in locomotives traversing timbered 
areas, but where this is impracticable nonleaking ash pans should 
be provided and carefully maintained. Even with this precaution, 
rights of way should be kept cleared of inflammable material for 
a distance of from 50 to 100 feet on each side of the track, the width 
of clearing depending upon local conditions. In addition, speeder 
patrol should be maintained. 
All wood, oil, or coal consuming engines operated on or adjacent 
to forest lands during the fire season (usually from about June 1 
to October 15) should be provided with efficient spark arresters. 
37325°— 29 3 
