KUXDAMKKTAI. SILVICULTURAL MEASURES IT) 



following preliminary statements are presented for consideration. The 

 facts presented were secured as the result of some seven years of 

 observation and study largely in the Western Adirondacks. It is not 

 assumed that a silvicultural treatment that will be satisfactory for the 

 Western Adirondacks would apply equally to the Eastern Adirondacks 

 or to New England. 



SOFTWOODS vs. HARDVi^OODS IN THE; ADIRONDACKS. 



As a basis for discussion may we agree that the purpose of forest 

 management in the Adirondacks for the next 100 years is the pro- 

 duction of the largest amount of softwood consistent with sound 

 financial development. The production of good hardwoods over a 

 major portion of the Western Adirondacks is simple, requiring heavy 

 cutting and fire protection only. When an attempt is made to convert 

 the stand into softwood, the problem becomes complex. The con- 

 tinuous logging of softwoods for lumber and pulp without destroying 

 the hardwood crown has in the main converted the forest to hard- 

 woods rather than producing the desired softwoods. It is well under- 

 stood among us that the hardwoods have remained in the forest because 

 of cost of transportation and lack of market accompanied by ever 

 increasing value of softwoods for pulp. No one can say what will 

 be the ultimate hardwood market. Hardwood lands throughout most 

 of the United States were largely of agricultural value and are now 

 converted either into farms or remain as farm woodlots which at this 

 time give only small promise of entering into large competition in 

 the lumber market. It is neither sound financially nor sound from a 

 forestry standpoint, therefore, for us to attempt to rid ourselves com- 

 pletely of the hardwood forest which comes so easily and with so 

 little expense in the major type of this region. We will attempt to 

 show in this article that complete conversion to softwood can be 

 accomplished only after several rotations and that only by persistent 

 effort or through large initial expense. 



VALUTAS 01- TIIK %"ORKST, OTIIKR THAN WOOD PRODUCTION, WHICH WILL 

 BE E-EECTED BY THE PRACTICE OF SILVICULTURE. 



From the standpoint of soil protection and water storage there is a 

 very inconsiderable portion of this region represented by thin soil on 

 the ridges which will suffer from close cutting, providing, of course, 

 that fire be kept from the ridges. Even thin soils on level or medium 

 slopes acquire a protective covering of brush and herbaceous vcgeta- 



