OF SOUTHWESTERN MISSISSIPPI. 117 



removed, and the suppressed and slow-growing trees are 

 left. If a use can be found for these slow-growing trees 

 some of them may be cut out to advantage, but care should 

 be taken not to open up the groups too much. If the 

 groups consist mostly of small trees, with only a few of 

 the larger sizes . scattered here and there, the latter may 

 sometimes be cut down to advantage ; the groups would then 

 consist of trees of more even size, and more trees might 

 reach a useful maturity. In such a stand there is need 

 for seed trees scattered well between the groups, as in other 

 variations of this type. 



The Seed Tree Method is suited to mature stands of 

 longleaf where there is little or no reproduction or young 

 growth on the ground. In such cases the sole dependence 

 for the future forest is on the seed trees that are left. These 

 should, therefore, be chosen with great care. Four to six 

 trees per acre should be left, distributed as evenly as possible 

 over the acre. The rest of the timber may be removed. 



Seed trees should be sound and healthy, so that in fif- 

 teen or twenty years they will have increased instead of 

 depreciated in value, for by that time it will probably pay to 

 lumber the area again for seed trees. The chief objec- 

 tion to this method is the very serious risk of the seed trees 

 being wind-thrown. Storms are very severe in this region, 

 and when trees are blown down, there is not only serious 

 loss of timber, but also the only chance of reseeding the 

 ground is gone. 



The Strip Method is used to a large extent in Europe 

 and has also been used with modifications in some of our 

 national forests. It seems admirably adapted to certain 

 conditions in southern pineries, wherever the ground is 

 level enough for a railroad. Especially in mature stands 

 with no young growth, this method could be used to advan- 

 tage. In such situations it is now customary to locate rail- 

 road spurs about 1-8 mile apart and skid the logs in from 

 each side. In the strip method the spurs should be located 

 as they are at present, but the trees should be cut from 

 only half the area, thus leaving strips of forest alternating 

 with strips of cutover land of equal width. The cutover 



