UTILIZATION OF SECOND-GROWTH STANDS. 



47 



destructiveness of the lumbering. This number varies so greatly that 

 it is futile to attempt a general estimate of it. It may, however, 

 readily be ascertained on the ground, and the forester, by finding the 

 rate of growth of the trees under the new conditions, can predict 

 either how long it will be before a given amount can again be logged 

 or how much can be cut after a given time. 



Large tracts now being logged near Buckley, Elma, and Hoquiam 

 were selected as examples. It was assumed that all trees above 20 

 inches were cut for logs and everything between 16 and 20 inches went 

 into skids. The number of trees between 4 and 16 inches which would 

 be left on an acre, if care was taken to destroy as few as possible, was 

 estimated, and these were allowed a conservative diameter growth of 

 an inch in five years for the next fif t}^ years. Their contents in board 

 measure (cutting to 14 inches) at the end of twenty-five and fifty 

 years were then computed, and 25 per cent was deducted for trees 

 which might die, blow down, or prove worthless for lumber. The 

 results are here shown: 



Table 17. — Yield per acre from Hemlock left in lumbering. 



Locality. 



Buckley 



Elma 



Hoquiam 



Average 



Number 



of trees 



between 



4 and 16 



inches 



left on 



acre. 



80 

 52 

 36 



Yield per acre at the 

 end of— 



Twenty- 

 five years. 



Board feet. 

 3,285 

 1,640 

 1,745 



Fifty 

 years. 



Board feet. 

 14,190 

 8,320 



6,875 



56 



2, 223 



9, 762 



Hoquiam shows less than the normal number of trees for that part of 

 the State, because of an insect attack several years ago, which destroyed 

 many } r oung trees. The figures for Buckley are included to produce 

 a fairer average, although, as a matter of fact, this is a region in which 

 Fir reproduction is feasible, and the burning of slashings is probably 

 better policy than the protection of small Hemlock. 



Since a few seedlings and a few vigorous trees which were less than 

 4 inches in diameter at the time of logging will become merchantable 

 in fifty years, the yield will be somewhat more than the 9,762 feet 

 indicated above. The addition on this account will probably bring the 

 total to about 11,000 feet an aero, or 1,760,000 to the quarter section. 

 At $1 a thousand this will be equivalent to a simple interest of 8.9 per 

 cent on an investment of $1 an acre for the land and (5 cents an acre 

 annual tax tor fifty years. 



The above calculations indicate :i larger yield after fifty } r ears than 

 does tig. 5 for seedling second growth alone. Furthermore, the existence 



