The San Francisco call., 1904-09-03
WHAT IS NEEDED
TOPREVENTFIRES
TN OUR FORESTS
United States Department OF AgricUl-
ture-Bureau of Forestry

United States Department Of AgricuI-
ture-Bureau of Forestry.
Editor The CALM your issue Of
August 81 you published a letter from
H. ]. Ostrander OF Merced. comment
ing on the work of the United States
Bureau of Forestry in this State. and
Offering suggestions for the prevention
of forest fires.
/ While Mr. Cstrander is in large
measure correct in saying that with
the prevention OF forest fires the whole
problem of forestry viii be solved, he
has missed some of the most vital
points in this connection and made
suggestions which. if followed, would
result in the ultimate destruction of
the forest as a productive commercial
factor.
The system of fire protection which
he recommends is TO follow the old In
dian practice and burn over the floor
Of the forest each year. Some OF the
results Of such a system would be as
follows: All young growth up TO the
diameter Of two inches would be seri-
ously injured or killed and all posi-
bility of a future forest destroyed; the
mature trees would be injured through
burning out at the bases. the repeated
fires burning off a percentage OF them
each year and gradually reducing the
density Of the original stand; undesir-
able brush would usurp open spots,
through it's tendency TO sprout after
fire, while cOniferous young growth Is
killed outright; while by the burning
Of the humus and vegetable ground
cover and exposure of the mineral soil
the water conserving power OF the for
est would be in a great measure lost
and the soil impoverished.
Such burning, besides being Injurious.
is furthermore unnecessary, because
the accumulations Of twigs, needles,
etc, reach only a certain depth. the
balance being maintained by the de-
composition underneath
Systematic burning Of the slash left
after numbering is most decidedly ad-
vantageous and practical experiments
are under way to show lumbermen that
it can be done economically, but firing
of the uncut forest. or after the
slash clearing fire, should never be
thought Of.
While the worship of the Sierra for
ests is all well enough. they are Of far
too great commercial value to serve no
other ends and should, as FreSiuenL
Roosevelt so wisely said, be perpetuated
by wise use" What the State wants
is not forests which are beautiful
parks" but productive stands Of tim
Der trees and IL is essential in such a
forest that the despised underground
exist, for therein lies the potential for
est-the young trees of future timber
value.
What is needed instead of a return
to primitive Indian methods is a more
rational public sentiment regarding
forest values and uses. Our dear
/ friends, the intelligent public. go into
\ the forests annually by thousands and
with their campfires. cigarette stumps
and matches do everything in their
power to destroy one of the States
greatest assets. They know better
than to play with fire in town and why
should they not use a little care while
/ in the forests?
The State Is TO have new fire laws
and a system Of fire protection, but
! its success depends on revision Of pub
/ lie sentiment toward this greatest OF
/ forest evils. E A. STERLING.
/ San Francisco. August 81, 1904