274 Forestry Quarterly. 



would yield only a loss on account of the expense of building 

 roads, the necessary reduction in stumpage rates should be pro- 

 vided for. This is certainly preferable to sacrificing silvical 

 methods. 



A selection system is certainly advisable, if not followed too 

 literally. Some officers have erroneously secured the impression 

 that seed trees should be distributed over the cutting area with 

 absolute precision. In other words, the quality of the seed trees 

 obtained has been in some cases sacrificed in order that the dis- 

 tribution may be uniform, and it is often at serious cost that this 

 uniformity is secured. It seems to me far better to secure the 

 proper quality of seed trees, even if distributed in groups and even 

 if small openings have to be made. Sacrifice uniformity in order 

 to secure quality. 



Where there is an excellent stand of "black jack" (Western 

 Yellow Pine usually under 150 years old with typical black bark) 

 marking is comparatively simple. It is often sufficient, in stands 

 of this character, to cut most "yellow pine" and leave all "black 

 jack," except those that are defective or in need of thinning. This 

 often means that only half the stand is actually removed, but the 

 mature trees yield a far better profit to the lumberman, and the 

 young, thrifty "black jack" that are bushy, costly to trim, and 

 hence expensive to log, are not desired by the average purchaser. 

 On the Coconino Forest, an actual exchange of mature "yellow 

 pine" for "black jack" has been arranged between the Forest Ser- 

 vice and two local companies controlling all timber on certain 

 railroad sections which had been deeded to the Government with 

 timber rights reserved. In this case the Service gives fully mature 

 "yellow pine" rapidly declining in value and in vigor, and receives 

 in return healthy, rapidly growing "black jack" of equal scale 

 that are rapidly increasing in value. 



The marking problem in stands composed wholly of mature or 

 over-mature timber, with only scattering "black jack," is much 

 more difficult. Here the question arises whether to sacrifice 

 present receipts, or possible reproduction from the seed of over- 

 mature trees, protection of the soil, and a second cut forty or fifty 

 years hence. Without taxes to pay, and with a large per cent, of 

 over-mature timber, it is naturally more profitable to the Forest 

 Service to cut rapidly virgin stands, and to leave sufficient for a 

 second cut. Here, again, the lumberman would complain that his 



