356 Forestry Quarterly. 



As just stated, the early growth rate of Yellow pine in this 

 locality is much greater than that of White fir. At the age of 

 30, for example, Yellow pine has an average height of 15 feet 

 and a breast high diameter of 2.8 inches, while White fir has a 

 height of only 5.5 feet and a breast high diameter of o.i inches. 



Yellow pine reaches its maximum rate of diameter growth, 

 about .22 inches per year, in the fifth decade, and falls ofif grad- 

 ually thereafter to about .05 inches at 250 years. With White 

 fir the maximum rate of diameter growth, .17 inches, is reached 

 at an age of about 100 years, falling off to .11 inches at 250, thus 

 giving a range of only .06 inches in the rate of diameter growth 

 as compared with a range of .17 inches in Yellow pine. White 

 fir passes Yellow pine in total height at from 70 to 80 years of 

 age, and continues to hold a slight advantage thereafter. 



From this comparison of growth in heigbt and diameter it is 

 evident that beyond a certain age the volume of White fir will be 

 greater than that of Yellow pine. From the curves it is shown 

 that up to about 190 years Yellow pine has the greater volume 

 but at this point White fir passes it and continues to increase its 

 lead until at 250 it has an excess in volume of approximately 

 25% over Yellow pine. It should be noted here that the growth 

 of Yellow pine in the Klamath region is the best found, in a 

 study covering practically the whole state. As compared with 

 the Yellow pine of Eastern Oregon, White fir has a volume nearly 

 tv/o and a half times as great at 250 years. 



On account of the scattered and irregular distribution of White 

 fir in the lower slope forests, and the general scarcity of even-aged 

 stands of this species, much time would have been required to 

 secure data of value in regard to the yield per acre of White 

 fir. For this reason it was not attempted- 



Economic Aspects. 



The study has shown that the silvical characteristics of White 

 fir make it a species which cannot, by any practicable means, be 

 entirely eliminated. The growth data would indicate that in so 

 far as volume production of individual trees is concerned White 

 fir is even better than Yellow pine. And if, as Dr. Meinecke's 

 report on the subject indicates, fungous damage can be greatly re- 

 duced by proper silvicultural treatment, it seems clear that White 

 fir is entitled to a more favorable consideration than it has re- 

 ceived in the past. 



