A NATIONAL PLAN FOR AMERICAN FORESTRY 1449 



SEED TREES 



In the absence of an understory of valuable seedlings and saplings, 

 seed trees of good species should be left in cutting both virgin and 

 later growths. This method of safeguarding the hardwoods stand 

 against serious deterioration is, however, less certain of results than 

 the alternative of deferred cutting already discussed. One to six 

 trees in good seed-bearing condition, must be left to the acre. If 

 their seed is such as to be widely distributed by wind or animals, one 

 or two will do, but if the seed is heavy and not carried about by 

 animals, five or six are necessary, They should be located where 

 they will do the most good ; for example, heavy-seeded species should 

 stand above rather than below the openings which they are to seed. 



GIRDLING 



Scarcely less important on most hardwood areas than postponement 

 of cutting until there is an advance growth of valuable seedlings, or 

 reservation of seed trees from cutting, is the cleanest possible cutting 

 of inferior species and of inferior individuals of good species. Groups 

 of promising young trees of good species capable of good growth after 

 logging should of course be left. But a heavy overwood of defective 

 trees, themselves so crooked, limby, or decayed as to have no prospect 

 of merchantability, will prevent advance growth from developing into 

 a merchantable stand within a tree generation. This is particularly 

 true where the advance growth is of tulip poplar, white oak, black 

 cherry, and a number of others of the most valuable species, which 

 can not endure much shade. If composed of inferior species able to 

 endure shade, the defective stand will establish seedlings capable of 

 competing with the good species already on the ground. The same 

 overwood will render seed trees ineffective by covering the ground 

 with litter which hinders germination of some species, such as tulip 

 poplar and white pine, and by shading and starving the seedlings. 



Complete removal of all large trees, except those required for seed 

 or further growth, is probably an unattainable ideal of cutting. 

 Every effort should be made, however, to find markets for trees too 

 small or defective for sawlogs. Cross ties, mine timbers, cooperage 

 stock, pulpwood, fuelwood, fence posts, and other small round or 

 split products will be saleable from many acres. If, after the removal 

 of every tree which can be made to pay its way, there still remains so 

 heavy a worthless overwood that a devastating delay in development 

 of a new and merchantable stand is inevitable, girdling, poisoning, or 

 felling without utilization, of a few of the worst old trees is necessary. 

 No fine or exact line can be drawn between girdling on a scale neces- 

 sary to prevent serious deterioration, and on a scale which would 

 promote a much fuller growth of good species. Girdling on the latter 

 scale, weeding the young seedlings to promote a higher proportion of 

 good species, thinning sapling stands, and similar cultural operations, 

 are described under the next section of this report, A Program for 

 Intensive Forest Management. It is improbable that on more than 

 a small percentage of all hardwood lands cut over currently will 

 girdling be necessary merely to prevent serious deterioration. 



SLASH DISPOSAL 



Disposal of hardwood slash to reduce the fire hazard after logging 

 will be necessary only where fire risks are high, as sometimes along 



