Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1910-06-03
GEORGE [. HOXIE ADVOCATES THE PLAN
OFMAKING FIRE THE SERVANT INSTEAD
OF THE MASTER, AND OF BURNING The
GROUND OVER WHENEVER POSSIBLE.

! LuVOA Aobns budb bhS fS6NbaDAS AuOAu W
forest carpet is subjected by this
enemy fire to total destruction.
The practical answer to this is
that in the forests described, an aver.
age from say to Is trees, Every
much oftener the former number) is
all an acre will sustain. In nature
it is simply the survival of the fit
test, so that in mature forests, fittesl
control, and in effect, stunt, and
make dormant, the younger growth
by depriving such younger growth OF
the life giving light and heat. And
this younger growth will never make
any considerable headway, until the
parent tree is removed, as can be
readily demonstrated, by cutting any
Of the trees subjected to the condi-
tions described, and counting the
yearly rings. The writer has cut
trees growing under the conditions
described, not exceeding 2 inches in
diameter, and found them to be up
wards of fifty years of age. Had
conditions Of light and heat been
! favorable, these same trees would
have been twelve to fifteen inches at
least in diameter, in this period of
time The horticulturist knows,
that for the same reasons, 1t is ex-
tremely' difficult to grow a young
fruit tree in an old orchard.
The practical answer TO the des-
truction of the vegetable mold or
forest carpet, is that during even the
driest period of the year, it is pro-
tected by green growths of varied
kinds, that in themselves will not
burn. These growths includes what
is locally called bear clover, snow
brush, squaw carpet, elk grass, man
zanita, white thorn, and deer brush,
lupin, and natural grasses, such as
thrive at high attitudes with a
limited amount of sunlight, usually a
species of bunch grass. But the for
est cover or carpet, has been wet by
the first fall rains, before the practi-
cal subjects the forest areas to fire,
and only those portions of forest
carpet, that would be even damaged,
would be that portion directly under
pile of brush, previously placed
for burning, as also under decayed
logs, and a search warrant will be
necessary to find these burned spots
a season or two after the burning.
The damage by fire to forest trees
of all kinds will almost universally
be noted to have occurred at the
butts and on the uphill side of the
particular tree damaged, thus evil
dencing the fact that extra hazard Ia
the shape of accumulated inflamma-
BILE matter drifting downhill was the
direct cause.
1t is mistaken idea that fire IN
the California forest areas, climbs
green trees and destroys them.
1t is also an undeniable fact that
the greatest fire hazard is that por-
tion of the forest area situated on
the slopes of mountains, as such
slopes are conducive of more or less
draught, that does not exist on the
level or mesa portions of forest
areas. For this reason these slopes
should receive the greatest amount
OF attention in preparing for the
servant fire. This would include
the filling in with earth, depresslons,
Immediately at the foot of trees
damaged by fire, to prevent the
creation OF draught. and thereby
eliminate in a great measure damage
that might otherwise result from sub
seQuent fires,
These conditions would seem to
direct that in practical forestry, fires
should be started at the proper time
of year on the SUBMITS of the tim
bered areas selected to be cleaned |
by the use OF servant lire, as this
would tend to eliminate the draught
described as created by the fire It.
self, on the slopes
The theorists say at time of har-
yesting tho forest crop OF logs, suf-
ficient seed trees must be left to In
sure and perpetuate the forest
The practical knows that In the
forest areas at least, the
season following milling operations
(unless II be the purpose Of owner to
fight the new growthsl hundred,
and per chance a thousand, or ,aore,
little forest trees win spring up,
where one parent tree was removed,
then In few years the danger of
fire Is real, for a thicket condition
exists, and total destruction by the
master fire Is unavoidable. unless
the cutting down aud thinning Of
these new foest growths Is resorted
TO IN advance OF the sevant fire, but
even II these thicket conditions were
permitted 20 continue. nature would
work out her own salvation IN the
very slow process OF the survival OF
The fiffagt as tha fiifaef KvouId in