10 THE PRINCIPLES OF HANDLING WOODLANDS 



A Full Stand. There are relatively few forests in 

 America which are producing a maximum amount of 

 timber. Thus, it is estimated that the second-growth 

 woodlands of Connecticut do not yield much over 60 

 per cent of what is possible under good methods of 

 forestry. This refers merely to the actual quantitative 

 production, without regard to the quality of the product. 

 The production from the standpoint of value is probably 

 less than 60 per cent, of the possible. The reason for this 

 small production is the fact that the stands are very irreg- 

 ular. Frequently the trees are straggling and spreading, 

 and occupy a great deal of space to the exclusion of other 

 trees, and there are many openings occupied by valueless 

 shrubs or entirely bare, which might be growing trees. 

 The loss to the country through this reduced productive 

 power of the forests is very great. In Connecticut alone 

 it probably amounts to at least $400,000 per annum. 

 The purpose of silviculture is not only to produce the 

 trees best adapted to the soil, but as many trees per acre 

 as is compatible with good quality. 



A Valuable Product. In the American forests a 

 large number of the trees are crooked or forked, or have 

 low branches which destroy their otherwise high techni- 

 cal value. Frequently these trees are suitable only for 

 fire-wood, though they are large enough, and of the right 

 species, to furnish high-priced timber. Thus, frequently 

 one sees a stand of oak, 75 years old, with trees of such 

 poor form that the timber is worth only 1 cent per cubic 

 foot, whereas within this period it would have been 



