White Fir in Klamath Basin. 351 



White fir regions in Oregon and present at least two silvicultural 

 problems in connection with the forest management. Since in 

 stands where Yellow pine and White fir occur in mixture, the for- 

 mer has so much the greater value, the first problem is, naturally, 

 to find the best means of reducing the White fir volume in future 

 stands of this type. The second problem is to determine by what 

 methods the White fir that must of necessity be retained can be 

 made to approach its maximum rate of volume and quality pro- 

 duction. 



It was for the purpose of securing silvical data to be used in 

 formulating a definite policy of management for White fir that 

 this study was undertaken. 



Measurements for the volume table and growth data were se- 

 cured in the logging operations of the Pelican Bay Lumber Com- 

 pany and at that of the Utter and Burns Company, near Fort 

 Klamath. Although the total number of trees measured for the 

 volume study was rather small the range of diameters is not great, 

 and it is believed that the growth for the region is very well re- 

 presented. The other data, including seedling growth and com- 

 petition of species were secured in an examination of cut over 

 areas, burns, natural openings, brush areas and timber stands of 

 varying composition, density, slope, exposure, etc. This ex- 

 amination was necessarily superficial and lacking in detail, and 

 the results obtained may be considered only as indicative. 



Silvical Characteristics. 



Habit. White fir has a very straight bole with a fairly rapid, 

 uniform taper. The crown is full and rather dense and in open 

 stands reaches nearly to the ground. Natural pruning in any 

 case is very slow. Even in full stands the green crown extends 

 at least half-way down the bole, and in many cases the lower 

 branches that have been killed by shading persist indefinitely. 

 Trees which have developed in the dense side shade of pure White 

 fir clumps may have a clear length of 40 or 50 feet. 



It reaches an average height of no to 120 feet and a breast 

 high diameter of about 2 feet at the age of 200 years, which for 

 purposes of management may be considered as its maximum age. 

 On young trees the bark is thin and somewhat resinous, but later 

 becomes very hard on the lower part of the bole, where it reaches 



