THIRD ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART X. 619 



ber. Then the next step must be taken more carefully; the crooked, faulty, 

 broken topped and otherwise unsound mature trees are to be cut out. 

 But here several considerations come in. It may be necessary to save 

 some of them for seed trees. It may open up too much ground to the light, 

 let in the rain to wash and deteriorate the soil. So it may be necessary 

 to save imperfect trees for a time for the cover they afford. But let 

 the owner be on the watch and when possible cut them out. Take the seed 

 trees of the undesirable species first; then all the young trees which 

 cannot grow into good timber. Last the unsound trees of the most de- 

 sirable species, always keeping in mind that it is injurious to open the 

 forest cover too much at one time. 



Proceeding in this manner with a little care the owner can have in 

 a few years a thrifty and valuable wood lot. We will have a dense stand 

 of the most desirable species in suitable situations with sufficient reproduc- 

 tion to keep it stocked. All that is necessary is to know a few facts about 

 the requirements of trees and their growth in mixture, to apply that 

 knowledged intelligently and to exercise along with it some good common 

 sense. 



Now comes the question of cutting the timber in such a manner so as 

 to conserve the wood lot, to use it without destroying it. Of the three 

 methods outlined above the writer is very strongly in favor of the selec- 

 tion method for Iowa conditions. It is in keeping with the small wood lots 

 and the use to which they are put to make the smallest cuttings possible. 

 The selection method exposes the smallest areas. It permits the great- 

 est freedom in selecting trees and it supplies timber in small quantities 

 as it is needed. 



The first reason is an important one. Timber in Iowa is handicapped 

 to some extent and is apt to be not any too dense, therefore, a single 

 tree removed in a place, in most cases, opens up wide enough area. Wood 

 lots have been and will be, although it is against their best interests, 

 to some extent pastured. This with the small rainfall will tend to keep 

 them open and will lessen the chances of a large cut over area being 

 stocked satisfactorily. Second, the greater flexibility of the method in a 

 small wood lot; a mature tree here and there can be taken, the neighbor- 

 ing trees left for further growth. Lastly, a wood lot is used frequently; 

 a small quantity is taken at a time. On that score alone the selection 

 method is the best all around. Firewood will be the most important 

 item that the wood let will be called on to supply. This must be supplied 

 annually and occasion can be taken to get rid of any faulty and unsound 

 trees. Fence posts will come next and will demand a better class of 

 timber. The mature and unsound trees can be used for that purpose. Part 

 of an unsound tree is certain to be fit for posts and other rough building 

 material for farm use; the remainder can be worked into firewood. 



In regard to the kind of trees that are valuable, the oaks head the list. 

 White oak is the most valuable oak, then bur oak, post oak, red oak and 

 black oak. Black walnut is probably the most valuable tree after the 

 white oak, but is found in very small quantities. Next in order comes 

 hard maple, the hickories, white ash, black cherry and black locust. 



