The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1910-08-16
ON FOOT
To PRESERVE
FORESTS
TO TAKE A HAND
IN THIS IMPORTANT MATTER
OTHER INTERESTS TO COOP
ERATE IN THE FIGHT.

Washington, Aug. 15.-The prob
lem of protecting the forests of the
country from fires is receiving con-
siderable attention from associations
of private owners, associations OF
lumber companies, state forest war;
dsns and the national government,
and the United States department Of
agriculture has just issued Bulletin
80, forest service, relating to the
subject. In spite of all that has been
done however, probably go per cent
of the private forests have no ade-
quate system of protection.
There are three classes of forest
fires: Surface fires, which burn the
surface layer cf leaves, dry grass,
brush and small tree; ground fires
burning the deep accumulation of
vegetable mold; and crown fires,
which accompany surface fires and
burn the crowns of the trees.
Surface fires are the most common
and may start under ordinary dry
conditions The severity of the fire
of course, depends largely ON the
amount of accumulated leaves and
brush and the strength of the wind.
surface fires kill seedlings and young
trees, but in many cases do not kill
the larger trees. Under some con-
.ditions, they may kill everything in
the area which they cover.
Ground fires occur only when the
vegetable mold has become thorough
ly dry. They burn slowly, but with
intense heat, and are exceedingly diff
ficult to extinguish. They have been
known to burn all winter creeping
along under a deep layer Of snow,
Ground fires usually destroy all hrees
killing the tissues of the roots, and
the trees die and are blown down.
Crown fires almost invariably ac-
company surface fires and occur only
when the woods are very dry and
there is a high wind. Usually all the
trees are killed. Sometimes, howeV-
er. there are a great many hardwood
in mixture with coniferous trees, sim
gle trees or group of trees may es-
cape injury.
AS the value of lumber and Of the
forests increases, and the necessity
Of protecting them from fires as far
as possible become appreciated, the
owners and the different organiza-
tiOnS controlling the forests are Us
ing every means of securing them
against destruction by thorough pa
troll system, organized fire fighting
squads with tools and equipment for
eXtinguishing fires located at acces-
chile points, by constantly warming
the public against the careless use
Of fire, and by every other available
means. The numter Of forest guards
on re national forests is Inadequate
for I've work, in some cases a single
man having the responsibility Of pro-
tec,in@ 100000 acres, whereas, in
most places there should be at leqst
one guard for every 10000 acres.
Pussia has a guard for every LOO.
Oaks are Mixed.
H. will surprise most persons to
know something about oak. to be told
.hat the so-calIed white oak timber
Of cur markets is often a mixture
not only Of various s"ecies of Tue
white oak group, tut also of other
species. such as the red oak. This
generally unknown fact is reported
by The United States department of
agriculture, which, as parr of its for
estry work is frequently called upon
70 pass judement upon tie identity
or market goods in dispute
Foresters divide all the oaks into
two distinct gr ups--the white oak
group and the black oak group. One
way Of distinguishing the two is tnat
the black oaks require two years to
mature their acOrns while the white
oaks take but one. The woods of tee
two gr ups Of oaks are also structu-
rally different The tru" white oak,
known 20 hotanists as Ouercus alba,
is merely one cf the species which,
maize up the white OAK Group Red
oek ~. tnc c.aer hand tel9ugs -
'Ae n' J. oak eo1a. "o1 a' has Z
'WMaa. ot other oau~9u ramn4,
a.o.a tam mrr..'. e.-. h'ael oak
-.n..l o,'.