. Bulletin (Pennsylvania Department of Forests and Waters), no. 35. Forests and forestry. Fire causes a decrease in insectivorous bird life. Insectivorous bird eggs and young birds are destroyed directly, especially the ground and low nesting species. By reason of frequent disturbance birds are driven away from a region of forest fires. The destruction of the forest brings about conditions unfavorable to bird life and birds become scarce. Scarcity of birds adversely influences agriculture. Fire causes the loss of bee colonies. This loss may be small, but it must be remembered that bees are imp
. Bulletin (Pennsylvania Department of Forests and Waters), no. 35. Forests and forestry. Fire causes a decrease in insectivorous bird life. Insectivorous bird eggs and young birds are destroyed directly, especially the ground and low nesting species. By reason of frequent disturbance birds are driven away from a region of forest fires. The destruction of the forest brings about conditions unfavorable to bird life and birds become scarce. Scarcity of birds adversely influences agriculture. Fire causes the loss of bee colonies. This loss may be small, but it must be remembered that bees are important in the production of seed crops and of a valuable food i)roduct. Fire destroys scenic beauty. The beauty of certain regions is respon- sible for bringing to them millions of dollars each year. Green forests, covering mountains and keeping the streams steadily flowing and clear. are the most important factors in the maintenance of this asset. Fire promotes desolation rather than life and beauty. A fire swept region is anything but beautiful. LESSON SEVEN THE CURSE OF THE FOREST There is still one more thing which we shall mention as being directly destroyed by forest fire, and the indirect losses resulting from its destruc- tion are far greater than the immediate ones. It is like killing the goose that lays the golden eggs. Fire destroys wholly or in part the litter and humus which form the forest floor. Light fires burn some leaves and small branches. Heavier fires burn everything down to mineral soil or rock. In some cases, the fire even follows roots and other vegetable matter into the soil. A fire which consumes only the material above the general level of the soil is called a surface fire. A fire which burns beneath the general surface level, as in old swamps, or on areas where the soil is filled with a mass of roots and other vege- table matter, as in bracken or huckleberry regions, is known as an under- ground fire. It is well to remember a few of the most importan
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