Marking Western Yellow Pine. 275 



own immediate profits are being sacrificed to a problematical cut 

 forty or fifty years from now. In these mature stands, however, 

 the vital problem of detail has been the determination of the num- 

 ber of mature and over-mature trees to leave. There have been 

 two arguments : one school of markers claims that trees plainly 

 over-mature, possibly stag-headed, or with signs of decline in 

 the crowns, should never be left. They fear that the seed from 

 these trees has not the same vitality as the younger growth, that 

 windfall is invited, insect attack encouraged, fungus growths 

 given an advantage, and that reproduction will not be increased ; 

 that the protective value of these tall, over-mature trees is slight, 

 and that much better natural reproduction would be secured by 

 felling these over-mature trees, scattering the brush, and thus en- 

 couraging reproduction from neighboring stands. Seed in the 

 southwest can be distributed great distances on account of the 

 snow crust which enables the winged seed to be blown until it finds 

 a resting place, possibly in the scattered brush. It is agreed, how- 

 ever, that on the edges of the parks and where windfall is 

 likely, that apparently healthy, mature trees should be 

 left in groups ; particularly where they have proven windfirm by 

 past isolation or exposure. The other school feels that where an 

 opening of an acre or so will be made that even stag-headed, over- 

 mature Western Yellow Pine should be reserved for the pro- 

 tection of the soil, to secure possible reproduction, on account of 

 preserving forest conditions, and because officers on the ground 

 cannot be trusted to discriminate in marking. This policy would, 

 of course, reduce legitimate receipts from National Forests which 

 should not be lessened without good cause. Can a problematical 

 chance of getting reproduction be considered "good cause?" Can 

 the lumberman's profit be fairly reduced by saving such over- 

 mature seed trees of doubtful character ? A Bavarian forester who 

 recently visited this district, and who discussed this problem quite 

 thoroughly, believed that the reservation of over-mature and par- 

 tially stag-headed trees should under no condition be permitted. 

 He applied the German word "Unsinn" (nonsense) to marking of 

 this kind. He felt that the receipts secured from the sale of these 

 over-mature trees could more properly be employed in actual 

 planting; that in the end far better results would be secured. 

 Personally, I agree with the Bavarian forester, except that natural 

 reproduction be given a trial under conditions made more favor- 



