THE HARVARD FOREST 247 



Among the more important species found on the tract are white pine, red 

 spruce and hemlock, popple, paper birch and black birch, white oak, red oak, 

 white ash, black cherry, and red maple. 



According to most recent estimates which are, however, approximate, 

 there are at least twelve millions board feet on the 2,000 acres ; nine-tenths of 

 this is white pine. The chief woods as regards yield are, besides white pine, 

 chestnut, red maple, red oak, paper birch, white ash and some scattering 

 black cherry which is surprisingly straight and clean boled. The forest is 

 not a woodlot, but a tract producing chiefly saw timber, nine-tenths of which 

 is worth |7.50 to |8.00 on the stump; marketing of this timber presents many 

 interesting problems. 



The white pine is worth .f7.50 to |8.00 on the stump, the hardwoods 

 merchantable for saw timber perhaps |4.00 and the cordwood from saplings 

 too small to be sawn into lumber or from tops sells for 50 cents a cord 

 standing. 



There is an excellent market for all species except popple and red maple 

 lumber. There is a considerable quantity of red maple on the tract which is 

 considered more or less of a weed tree since ordinarily it can only be sold 

 for cordwood. The demand for cordwood, however, exceeds the supply that 

 at present can be cut, and no difficulty has been found in disposing of the 

 white pine for boxes, boards, match sash and blind stock, and "square edge." 

 The box and match stock sells for from |16 to |18, one inch square edge for 

 |20, sash and blind stock for from |25 to $35. The chestnut sells as inch 

 sidings for |17, and as li^ inch round edge for |20. Selected ash, red oak, 

 and cherry sells in small quantities at fancy prices. 



THE METHOD OP SALE 



It is rather surprising that Mr. Fisher has found it more profitable to 

 do his own logging rather than to have it done by contract. The only ma- 

 terial sold on the stump is a small quantity of cordwood taken out in clean- 

 ings. This is sold to local residents in what might be termed ''neighborhood 

 sales." In all operations trees are designated for cutting by marking although 

 they are not stamped with any symbol to show whether they were oflSciallv 

 marked or not. This is not considered necessary because the officers in 

 charge are so familiar with each tract that they can distinguish if the original 

 marking has been materially departed from. The pine brush is burned at a 

 cost of 15 to 25 cents per thousand. The hardwood brush is usually burned, 

 particularly when it is cut with the pine, but occasionally it is left in small 

 piles where the fire danger is not considered great. Sales are made informally 

 and no formal contract is required. 



The results of logging during the fiscal year of 1911 give the following 

 average cost: Sawing, fl.OO per M. ; drawing in and piling, fl.75, from the 

 piles to rollway at portable miii 20 cents ; sawing at mill by contract |2.35 • 

 "sticking" 75 cents; hauling to the market, |2.25 (hardwoods hauling to 

 market, $4.50). Since the thinnings are taken in connection with the final 

 cuttings, no separate figures on the cost of logging have been secured. As an 



