THE MEETING OF LOGGING METHODS IN FRANCE 



1537 



$6.00 to $6.30 per thousand board feet, or about 66 cents 

 l)er thousand board feet per mile. 



A few of the important forest management considera- 

 tions may be mentioned. The system of cutting in the 

 fir and spruce stands in the French Jura may be termed 

 a selection shelter wood, but it is varied according to 

 the local conditions. In a few localities an exception is 

 made, where clear cutting is dictated by shallow soil 

 and danger of wind throw. Natural regeneration is in 

 all cases aimed at. The shelter trees are left when the 

 bulk of the timber is cut to partially shade the ground, 

 and serve at the same time as seed trees. Blackberry 

 briers or brambles hinder the natural course of regenera- 

 tion. Wherever the stand is opened up the bramble 



FRE.NCH "VOITURKS" IIAUr.TNG LONG STICKS TO A MILL 

 OVER iMOUNTAIN ROADS 



covers the soil and chokes out the seedlings. Then fol- 

 lows a short cycle in which brush, such as winter berry 

 and laburnum prepare the way for the fire and spruce 

 seedlings. The regeneration period is, therefore, long — 

 30 years being allowed for complete restocking. Where 

 this will not suffice, planting is resorted to. But in some 

 cases holes are planted up, especially where a greater 

 ]iercentage of spruce is desired in the stand. One small 

 nursery for a forest of 2,000 hectares sufifices for these 

 purposes. 



The annual cut or "possibility" is usually based upon 

 on estimated growth per cent varying between 2.35 

 and 2.74. 



The financial return from the fir forests is quite satis- 

 factory. Taking the Levier (Doubs) forest for one 

 example, during the period from 1905 to 191 1, 32,390 

 cubic meters were cut per annum, selling at 560,994 



francs, or an average of 11.93 cubic meters per hectare 

 selling at 206.77 francs. Converted into American units 

 this equals a net annual yield per acre of $15.90. This 

 is a good return from forest soil. The average price 

 received for all grades of timber including material cut 

 in thinnings was 17.32 francs per cubic meter; or in 

 American units, $15.68 per thousand board feet, log scale, 

 on the stump. Such prices permit of intensive forest 

 management. They were greatly increased during 

 the war. 



In the French Jura the American operations employed 

 horse logging. Some of the stands were well suited to 

 power logging, but the necessary equipment was not 

 available. Horse jammers were used for loading on 

 logging wagons. Delivery to the mill landing was done 

 by horses, tractors and motor trucks. The excellent 

 system of surfaced forest roads was of great assistance 

 in the extraction of logs. 



The great war has brought about many comparisons, 

 and the introduction of a system of logging and milling 



A NOVEL ONE-MAN METHOD OF LOADING A TREE. EQUIP- 

 MENT USED: A POLE. TWO CHAINS, A BLOCK OF TIMBER 

 ■\ND A POWERFUL JACK 



developed in America into the well regulated forests of 

 the Old World, with its inherited methods, proved to be 

 interesting and instructive to both the French and Ameri- 

 cans. But one of the outstanding facts was that even 

 under the pressure of war needs, forests could be ex- 

 ])loited by American methods in accordance with the 

 silvicultural requirements of the French, and that the 

 regeneration of cut-over forests under such methods of 

 exploitation may be assured. 



Is There a Famous Tree In Your Town? The American Forestry 

 Association Wants To Know About It. 



