LOIH.ol IV <>K \'>i;ni (. \Kt)I.I.\A !! 153 



number of trees of relatively high grade. By uniform spacing to secure 

 the fullest individual growth, tre<^ of large diameters ;uil yielding a 

 valuable product could be obtained. i Table 78.) While not without 

 drawbacks, \\\\- method of cutting ha> many advantaged in its favor. 

 Tlu- advantages and disadvantage! 'f tliis method arc as foil.. 



1. The cut per urn- which can he made at one time hy u logging 

 crew is le-s \\ith two rutting* than \\ith clean cutting. This howe 

 fully compensated for hy the hii^ of the loir-, resulting in 



cheaper logging and cheaper millwork. 



2. Logging the < Id trees iii young -land- i- somewhat more costly 

 than clean cutting. This, however, is again compensated for by the 

 cleaning and thinning of the young growth. 



3. Some of the young trees are hrokeii down hy felling the larger 

 trees. With careful felling the damage is small, since the old sup- 

 pressed and intermediate trees have very long, rather than wide-spread- 

 ing, heavy crowns. 



4. The reduction in the volume which is cut per acre a No increases 

 the cost of railroad construction per 1,000 feet cut. This, however, is 

 far more than met by the enhanced value of the product. In practice it 

 should be easy to determine whether the increased value per 1,000 feet 

 of the stand will be greater or less than the increased cost of production 

 per 1,000 feet. 



Since too many trees in the old stand will retard the height growth 

 of near-by groups of young trees, the first cutting must be moderately 

 heavy. The retarding of the dominant trees in the young stand, how- 

 ever, is desirable since the trunk is freer of knots, the knots are smaller, 

 and the proportion of high grade lumber is greater in dominant trees, 

 particularly in the lower logs, when they are crowded. This system of 

 cutting is one which has been satisfactory to the lumbermen for many 

 years, and which helped to maintain the supply of loblolly pine in the 

 Norfolk (Va.), Albemarle Sound, Plymouth (X. C.), and Washing- 

 ton (N. C.) sections. It has further the advantage of affording heavy 

 cuttings at intervals of not more than twenty years and, therefore, 

 should be practiced in place of clear cutting, which makes logging pos- 

 sible only at from 40 to 50 year intervals, and yields a lower grade of 

 logs. In following gradual felling, however, the suppressed trees which 

 are left for additional growth should not be relied upon for seed trees, 

 but these should be reserved from the dominant part of the stand. These 

 should be trees with the choicest stems and should bo carried to large 

 diameters, if their rate of growth is satisfactory, to furnish high grade 

 veneer stock, or large size piling, or choice sawlog< which will yield 70 

 per cent of No. 1 and No. 2 lumber. 



The form of forest sought should be large even-aged blocks. In log- 

 ging with railroad it is possible to thin one Mock when the adjoining 

 block is being cut for larger timlnM-. This makes thinnings possible and 

 yet maintains the cut. 



