R. E. DOHERTY TUMBER CO.

and service vehicles were on the fire lines. The state and federal agencies spent more than 3l million dollars of emergency monies in controlling the fires.

In the face of these staggering losses to California's economy, Nelson noted two significant and encouraging facts. "Hundreds of thousands of people rvere working in or enjoying the foothill and mountain regions during this period when fires could start almost at the drop of a hat. The number of fires started is ample proof that most people were careful. The forest fire protection agencies are particularly indebted to the press, and to radio and TV stations, for alerting people to the hazards and to business, industry, and organizational groups throughout California for their summer-long educational efforts in cautioning people to be careful with fire. Of equal significance were the volunteer efforts of the forest industries, utility companies, ranchers, and local people in all rvalks of life who contributed manpower and equipment on the fire lines. Without this help and that of prisoners from our institutions and forestry honor camps, national guard, and civil defense men and equipment, armed forces personnel, and fire specialists from other rvestern states, losses would have been much greater,;' he said.

Salvage of Fire-killed Timber Explained

Berkeley, Calif.-Owners of timber killed in recent forest fires can learn how much time they have to salvage the wood before it loses its usefulness from a new U. S. Department of Agriculture bulletin just announced here by Dr. George M. Jemison, director of the California Forest and Range Experiment Station of the U. S. Forest Service. When trees of commercial size are killed by forest fires, Dr. Jemison said, the wood is not usually injured and for a time is as good as it ever lvas for manufacture into lumber. The new publication shows that if timber owners harvest their fire-killed trees soon enough, he said, they can recover considerable value.

The bulletin, by Dr. James W. Kimmey of the experiment station, is based upon study of fire-killed trees in California on burns that varied from 0 to 17 years in age. Fungi that cause decay and insects that damage trees by boring into the wood 'ivere found to be the principal causes of deterioration.

How long the timber remains usable depends on.the size and kind of trees. Small trees deteriorate more quickly than large ones. For example, a white Fir tree 25 inches in diameter may lose 70/o of. its board-foot volume in two years, rvhile a 50-inch tree loses only half its volume.

Of the different kinds of trees, White Fir deteriorates the fastest, the bulletin reports. The heartwood of Douglas Fir is most durable of the fire-killed timber, and the wood of Pines is intermediate. In all species, heartwood is more durable than sapwood.

By three or four years after the fire, the study showed, ferv White Fir trees remain suitable for salvage. pine heartwood in large trees may be salvaged five to 10 years after being killed by fire, Douglas Fir heartwood in large trees for 15 years or more.

The bulletin is entitled "Rate of Deterioration of Firekilled Timber in California," IJ. S. Department of Agriculture Circular No.962. It is for sale at 15 cents a copy by the Superintendent of Documents, U. S. Government Printing Office, Washington 25, D. C.

NHIA Sets Inspection Record

Chicago.-The National Hardwood Lumber Assn. inspection staff certified a total of. 26,778,154 feet of hardwoods during August, the highest volume month during the past fiscal year. The record made the final quarter the biggest in 30 years-76,178,164 feet of hardwoods inspected in the period. The grand total for the fiscal year was 283,277,372-feet, higher by 5% million feet than any I IlKe perloo.