LOBLOLLY OB NORTH CAROLINA PINE. 151 



(2) Permanent or "Natural" Loblolly Pine Type. 



Ou the so-called "natural" or permanent loblolly soils which occupy 

 Quality I sites and some of the best Quality II sites, loblolly pine 

 forms pure even-aged groups or stands. On such sites the pine is very 

 tolerant of shade (Plate IV) and has a greater power of recuperation 

 from suppression (Plate VIII, B), and a thrifty young stand is easily 

 obtained in the partial shade resulting from the successive removal of 

 trees in the old stand. The stand, therefore, lends itself to a diameter 

 limit cutting. By such cutting the waste in cutting the slender inter- 

 mediate trees (Plate XVII) is prevented and a greater profit in holding 

 them for additional diameter growth is assured. On "natural" sites the 

 mature stand may be removed by gradual cutting in two or more succes- 

 sive fellings. The first removes the larger trees to a minimum diameter 

 of from 14 to 16 inches, according to the quality site. The second, made 

 from 10 to 20 years later, should remove the remaining timber, unless 

 the small trees will still show sufficient increment to justify holding 

 them for a third cut, which will often be the case. If the stand is more 

 than 45 years old when the first felling is made, the intermediate and 

 suppressed trees, since by that time they have passed the stage of most 

 rapid height growth, can gain very little in height after lumbering. 



With logging operations costing $13 per 1,000 feet the maximum rate 

 of interest (8 per cent) is obtained on Quality I site by clean cutting 

 when the stand is 40 years old. The number of trees per acre 6 inches 

 and over in diameter breasthigh in a stand at this age is 273, the aver- 

 age diameter 11.4 inches, the average volume 98 board feet, and total 

 yield 26,754 feet per acre by Doyle-Scribner rule; the average stumpage 

 value per tree, 35 cents, or the total stumpage value per acre $94.05. In 

 a normal stand at this age the average number of dominant trees is 

 about 123, having an average diameter breasthigh of 13.2 inches, an 

 average volume of 191 board feet, and an average log scale of 59 feet. 



If instead of cutting clean only the dominant trees are cut, the yield 

 would be 23,400 board feet, having a Norfolk, Va., value of $17.16 per 

 1,000 feet, or a stumpage value of $77.49 per acre, under an operating 

 cost of $13 per 1,000 feet. The remaining portion of the stand above 

 six inches in diameter, including the intermediate and suppressed trees, 

 have an approximate stumpage value of $18.06 per acre. This value is 

 made up of 150 trees, with an average volume of 54 board feet, an 

 average diameter breasthigh of 9.1 inches, and a stumpage value of 

 about 12 cents per tree. The examination of old cuttings indicates that 

 in stands of Quality I the intermediate and suppressed trees, because of 

 the improved light conditions and greater amount of soil moisture, 

 made available by the removal of the dominant trees, will make almost 

 as rapid growth in diameter as dominant trees of the same diameters. 

 In 15 years they may, therefore, attain an average diameter breasthigh 



