File:Bulletin (Pennsylvania Department of Forests and Waters), no. 35 (1923) (20312960108).jpg

Title: Bulletin (Pennsylvania Department of Forests and Waters), no. 35
Identifier: bulletinpennsylv35penn (find matches)
Year: 1923 (1920s)
Authors: Pennsylvania. Dept. of Forests and Waters
Subjects: Forests and forestry
Publisher: Harrisburg, Pa. : The Department
Contributing Library: Penn State University
Digitizing Sponsor: Lyrasis Members and Sloan Foundation

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M c o o GO PS H c » <! o Cfi pa Not only IS the growth of trees injured by fire retarded, but the quality of the wood produced and the quantity finally harvested are also reduced I^ H?f ^ '^ "^ulu^^^ '"?'^'"^ ^'^^^'^y *^ ^^^^^ ^ fi^^ scar, nevertheless the defect is still there and, in the majority of cases, it grows with the size and age of the tree. ^ When the injured tree is cut there is considerable loss due to heart forest's ^'" '^^^' '^^ '"' P^'^'^"^^^^y ^^'^ ^a«e in sprout Fire kills growing timber. As previously noted, if a tree is girdled by the scorching of its cambium layer or of its root, it dies. Fire thus kills a varying proportion of the stand through which it burns, but especially the small growth and the sensitive species. Trees that are not killed .mmediately, d,e ater as a direct result of the fire. Recently established plantations are, therefore, liable to destruction by fire and require extra br^'lanted' I^^^^^^^'^"- ^^ trees cannot be protected they should'not Damage to standing growth results in an immediate loss. 1. There is the loss of dead trees of merchantable size which for various reasons, cannot be marketed while still sound, and which decrease m market value by reason of some delay before harvesting. 2. The loss of value occasioned by the marketing of material not ve: grown to the size which would yield the highest value. 3. The loss in final cut which must be exj^ected if injured trees are permitted to stand until they reach what would otherwise be a mer- cnantaole age. 4. There sliould also be considered the fact that there may be and usually ,s some expense connected with the inconvenience of having to harvest before maturity or of harvesting a smaller crop at maturity Fire <h'slroys seeds, small seedlings, and sprouts. Upon the forest floor. m,.xed with leaves a.id humus, and preserved by the latter are 7Znlu "'f' °' ^:'™"^ "^'^ waiting'for favorable conditions to germinate and grow into trees. In most places where stock and fire have been kept out of woodland for several years, tliousands of young rees have started to grow either from seed or from roots but they are ifhtt wnrkin*^;H ^^ '^T 'a "' "^«^^^- f- ^ very'small an^oum of heat will kill the germ within the seed, and cook the life out of the tender plants. Even the lightest fires do considerable damage by desroy! ing prospective forests. On the basis of the value of seed or seedHngs hgured out that this loss amounts to from $3.00 to $10.00 per acre By reason of these three effects of forest f^res, retx-ated burnings may cnange entirely the character of a forest in almost all of its phases or forest conditions may be destroyed totally. The better species ot^ees may give place to fire cherry, quaking aspen, birch, or oth r ight winged and inferior species. All tree growth may give place to scrub oak sweet fern, huckleberry, bracken, or common herbaceous weeds Hence foTes fcts! ' ""* ""'-' """^ '"• •'"* ^'^° 'he possfbiliti" of future H 17

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