Canadian Foreslry Journal, September, 1919 



369 



a relatively short time, some of the companies 

 having either to reduce their production or to 

 purchase new timber holdings. Owing to the 

 enormous amount of capital invested, those in- 

 terested must necessarily seek for a continuous 

 supply of their raw material; 



8. The ownership of waste lands by a pri- 

 vate owner is such a burden that, too often, 

 the yare abandoned and fall to the charge of 

 the rural municipality, whereas if they were 

 stocked with trees they would have a sufficient 

 future value to induce the owner to pay his 

 taxes. 



Does it Pay to Replant? 



There has been yet no complete survey made 

 of the plantations executed in Canada, as many 

 of these plantations are either too young or of 

 perimental purposes. Therefore we are com- 

 pelled to seek our information from other 

 sources. However, from the studies made here 

 upon the growth of trees in height and diam- 

 eter, we can see that the results recorded else- 

 where will certainly be obtained also in this 

 country. The State of Massachusetts has pub- 

 lished a booklet entitled, "The Older Planta- 

 tions in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts," 

 in which you will find information that will 

 please anyone interested in the matter. For ex- 

 ample, a plantation made by John Tingwick, of 

 white and Scotch pines, has produced in 38 

 years from 10,000 to 17,000 feet per acre. 

 Those made fifty-five years ago, on the property 

 now held by the Misses Dawe and Hobert have 

 produced trees running from 6 to I 7 inches in 

 diameter, and the yield was estimated at 43,000 

 feet per acre. As you see these results are 

 very good; the tabulation of all these various 

 inventories has enabled the Forest Service of 

 that state to publish an estimate of the future 

 production of white pine and we find that 

 same, on an average quality of soil, will be as 

 follows: 



At the end of 25 years, 32,800 feet b.m. 



At the end of 50 years, 46,500 feet b.m. 



At the end of 60 years, 53,200 feet b.m. 



The Real Profit. 



It will be interesting to know what will be the 

 financial return of this investment, and a good 

 forester could not induce anyone to plant 

 without saying what will be the ultimate re- 

 sults of the work. I the above cases the for- 

 ester has first taken into account the value of 

 the land, calculated at four dollars per acre and 

 which naturally must pay a rental; then come 

 the expenses of planting which were estimated 



at seven dollars per acre; the taxes must be 

 paid as well as the annual charges of mainten- 

 ance and protection against fires. Then, all the 

 money spent at the start and afterwards must 

 necessarily pay a rate of interest which was 

 calculated at five per cent. We find that, after 

 deducting all these expenses from the gross re- 

 turns of the sale of the timber produced, the 

 plantations would give the following net profits: 



At the end of 30 years, $24.85 per acre. 



At the end of 40 years, $102.57 per acre. 



At the end of 50 years, $248.50 per acre. 



At the end of 60 years, $90.17 per acre. 



But if the rate of interest was 6 per cent 

 instead of 5, the financial returns would be as 

 follows: 



After 30 years, a loss of $4.44 per acre. 



After 40 years, a profit of $1 15.76 per acre. 



After 50 years, a profit of $151.97 per acre. 



After 60 years, a loss of $1 14.30 per acre. 



It will be seen by all these examples that the 

 best time to cut a white pine plantation would 

 be when it has reached the age of about fifty 

 years ,that is when the annual increment in 

 volume will begin to diminish. 



Does Spruce Planting Pay? 



Of course the pulp and paper makers are 

 more interested in the question of spruce plan- 

 tations. Here I must say that we have no 

 positive American nor Canadian data on this 

 subject, and we must use the European figures: 

 they are also very satisfactory. We find that, 

 on an average quality of soil and locality, a 

 spruce plantation may produce the following 

 quantities of timber. Taking all the material 

 over three inches in diameter at the small end: 



At the end of 30 years, 6.700 feet b.m., 

 or 1 1 cords per acre. 



At the end of 40 years, 21,600 feet b.m. 

 or 35 cords per acre. 



At the end of 50 years, 36.700 feet b.m. 

 or 61 cords per acre. 



At the end of 60 years. 50,600 feet b.m. 

 or 84 cords per acre. 



In admitting that these figures could not yet 

 be obtained in this province, we can by reduc- 

 ing them by, say, one-third, arrive at good 

 conclusions: 



After 20 years the stand would furnish 7 

 cords per acre. 



After 40 years the stand would furnish 20 

 cords per acre. 



After 50 years the stand would iurnish 36 

 cords per acre. 



After 60 years the stand would furnish 50 

 cords per acre. 



