MANAGEMENT OF HARDWOOD FORESTS 387 



meant to cover not only an age or size class, but further to convey the 

 idea of an age or size class standing in a body, to be considered as a 

 unit of treatment previous to, during, and after utilization. The fact 

 that two or more "stands" may occupy the same ground should not be 

 allowed to confuse the conception. 



It is absolutely essential to the success of the management of a given 

 working circle that the stands composing the forest be correctly segre- 

 gated and described and that the silvicultural needs of each be ascer- 

 tained and provided for. This is the base upon which the entire 

 structure rests. 



3. No matter how correct the prescriptions of management may be, 

 from a purely silvicultural point of view, the plan cannot be put into 

 effect unless it is made to harmonize with the governing economic fac- 

 tors. It is footless, for instance, to prescribe that a certain stand be 

 removed at once if it be inaccessible, and, therefore, unmarketable. 

 While it is true that the silvicultural needs of a stand should indicate 

 the plan of its management, it is evident that a certain amount of give 

 and take must come into play and in some cases, even, the forester 

 must be prepared to sacrifice silviculture for utilization or vice versa. 



A thorough knowledge of all the factors concerning the relationship 

 of local and distant industries to the business of the forest must be 

 had in order to approach a reasonably correct forecast of conditions. 



4. There is a third element that must be considered and given due 

 weight in drawing up prescriptions of management for a stand or for 

 a working circle : The Appalachian Mountains are fast becoming the 

 playground of the South. For the women and children who dwell in 

 that long stretch of flat country, which borders the seaboard from 

 Washington to New Orleans, the mountains are the refuge during the 

 long, hot summers ; they are the hunting and fishing grounds of the 

 men between seasons. Thanks to 35-cent cotton and 20-cent sugar, 

 the South will be able to take possession of its natural recreational re- 

 gion from now on as it never has before. 



In District 7 the recreational value must be given the importance it 

 deserves. In some few instances, management plans will be based 

 entirely upon recreational considerations. In many instances, plans for 

 management will be strongly affected by the recognition of aesthetics. 



In the typical working circle in the seven Forests of the Southern 

 Appalachians the objects of management may be written as follows : 



L The production of the maximum amount of merchantable wood 

 products per acre in the minimum period on the cut-over lands. 



2. The regulation of the cutting of stands now merchantable with a 

 view to making them sustain dependent industries, and thus also that 

 part of the local population dependent upon the forest for a livelihood, 

 during the period that must elapse before the immature stands (which 

 usually form two-thirds of the forest) are ready for the market. 



