12 BULLETIN 1493, U. 8S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE - 
The ability of single Douglas fir trees to withstand wind is some- 
- what variable; soil and situation affect this characteristic materially. 
It may be expected that some of the single trees, of whatever size, 
left on logging operations will be blown down, but experience has 
shown that the greatest loss is in the first few years after cutting 
and that on most soils the loss is not serious. 
The wisdom of leaving conky trees for seed has been questioned. 
This need not be gone into here more than to say that the prevalent 
fungus which causes conk rot (Trametes pint) is a disease of the heart- 
wood, and therefore does not affect the vitality of the tree; that the 
disease is not transmitted through the seed; that it is a disease of 
old trees and therefore not to be greatly feared in the new crop which 
will be harvested probably before it comes to the age of bad infection. 
_ Foresters and pathologists are agreed that the leaving of such trees 
does not practically increase the danger of infection in the new crop 
and that the cutting of these few conky trees merely to rid the area 
of infection would be a trifling measure, so universal is the disease. 
REFORESTATION FACTORS IN THE FOG BELT 
The above discussion of the factors affecting reforestation in the 
Douglas fir type proper applies broadly to the fog-belt type, with a 
few noteworthy points of difference. Spruce and hemlock, which 
either with or without Douglas fir are the species common in the fog- 
belt forests, both reproduce vigorously on logged-off land in very 
much the same way as does Douglas fir. Hemlock is enormously 
prolific on moist or shaded sites. Both species are more exacting as 
to moisture requirements than fir, and hence germination is best in 
duff and where the site is not too dry. Also, as has already been seen, 
slash burning, which exposes a site to drying out, is likely to be more 
favorable to Douglas fir than to hemlock and spruce. 
Both spruce and hemlock are less windfirm than Douglas fir; 
therefore, patches of pole wood or scattered seed trees of these 
species left from logging are less likely than Douglas fir to survive. 
The fire problem is less difficult in the fog-belt than in the Douglas 
fir type, for accidental burning of slashings is easier to guard against. 
It is even difficult to burn slashings intentionally in certain fall and 
spring seasons because of the soaking ocean fogs. Nevertheless in 
some years the fog belt has dry spells equal to any in the Cascade 
region, and at such times the fire risk becomes exceedingly acute. — 
Some of the most disastrous conflagrations in the Northwest have 
been in the fog belt. 
Hemlock and spruce slash is less combustible than Douglas fir 
brush; the needles fall off the first season, and the fog-belt climate 
promotes a luxuriant growth of shrubbery which quickly clothes 
logged-off land. Where slash fires do not follow logging, this shrub- 
bery consists of rather noninflammable growth, such as salmon- 
berry, alder, elderberry, red huckleberry, and Christmas fern, and 
within four or five years makes an almost continuous cover which 
keeps green all summer. On such areas the fire risk quickly dimin- 
ishes to that of the virgin forest. This cover does not seem to deter 
forest reproduction. 
Where logged-off land in this type is burned over, the less inflam- 
mable shrubbery is killed back and in its place come the more inflam- 
