20 Prolonging the Cut of Southern Pine 



Special attention must early be given to windfall, because 

 damage from this source is most likely to occur within a year or 

 two after the cutting. 



SUSTAINED PRODUCTION OF TIMBER 



It would be possible under proper management to maintain a 

 perpetual supply of timber on the holdings of this company, but 

 the present cut could not be sustained. Studies of possible yields 

 on 9,000 acres showed that, under proper management and by 

 cutting the large timber first, a cut of 150 feet b.m. per acre 

 can be maintained for 100 years from the timber now on the 

 ground. The mean annual yield on lands of average stocking is 

 125 feet b.m. (See Table 2.) Some land yields more than this, as, 

 for instance, old fields, while much land, because of poor stocking, 

 is yielding less. A large per cent of the total forest area is 

 now occupied by stands considerably more than 100 years old. 

 The cut of 150 feet b.m. per year could be obtained, first, by a 

 removal of the present surplus of old timber, and second, from 

 actual growth. This figure was arrived at by computing the pos- 

 sible cut and probably growth on several tracts averaging about 

 2,000 acres each, on which the area of timber of each age class 

 was known from field reconnaissance. This would include the cut- 

 ting of all young timber and seedlings now growing, but would 

 not include new crops of seedlings to be obtained in the future. 

 One hundred years will allow the production of large timber with 

 a high percentage of "uppers," probably 25 per cent. By cutting 

 the present crops in seventy years a somewhat larger cut per year 

 would be obtained for that period through a more rapid removal 

 of the old timber, but the timber from then on would have to be 

 cut when much smaller and less valuable if the cut is to continue. 



With 150 feet b.m. per year, an annual cut of 15,000,000 feet 

 b.m. could be obtained on a tract of 100,000 acres. Should such 

 a policy be followed it would mean the saving of trees in mature 

 stands to act as seed trees ; the elimination of fire from cut-over 

 lands for six to eight years after the slash had been burned ; and 

 it would stimulate the retention of lands in forests which would 

 otherwise be sold for agricultural purposes. 



The two most important questions, aside from the greater use- 

 fulness of the soil for agricultural purposes, are future trans- 

 portation and logging costs, and future taxes. The logging 

 operations on 100,000 acres managed for a second cut would be 

 more scattered, with smaller cuts per acre and consequent 

 increased costs. Taxes may increase greatly unless the education 



