MANAGEMENT OF THE FORESTS. 



The object of forest management is to utilize forests to their greatest advantage, 

 by:- 



1. Regulating the cuttings so as to provide a sustained yield of timber. 



2. Securing natural reproductions from the cuttings themselves, 



3. Steadily improving the condition of the forest, while attaining a maximum 

 production of timber. 



The quantity of timber that is added in a year to the standing stock is termed the 

 yearly increment of a forest. It is obvious that according to whether the quantity of 

 timber cut from a forest is greater or smaller than the annual increment, the standing 

 stock will decrease or increase ; and that the annual increment, which corresponds to the 

 normal interest derived from a sum of money, may be cut each year without impoverish- 

 ing the forest. 



Though the annual increments per acre may become comparatively steady for a 

 number of years between the stages of young and mature timber, there is a certain age 

 at which the average of all previous increments reaches a maximum, corresponding to the 

 greatest yield of wood which the forest is capable of returning each year. 



A forest should be left to reach a stage of greatest utility before being worked. 

 Absolutely this happens at the time of maturity, when the largest timber that can be 

 grown without danger of being unsound is obtained, for the larger a log the more varied 

 the uses it can be put to and the less waste. But there is a limit, not very remote, beyond 

 which the increase in value of the timber ceases to compensate for the delay of the 

 return, the most advantageous rate of profit being derivable at the limit. 



The number of years thus fixed upon to elapse between two successive crops of tim- 

 ber in the same stage of growth on the same land, is termed the rotation. The rotation 

 forms a cycle embracing one complete series of the various cultural operations needed 

 from the time of production of a tree to the time of its being cut down. An " economic 

 rotation " is designed to secure the most useful produce, while a " financial rotation " 

 aims at returning the highest rate of profit. 



LENGTH OF THE ROTATION. Whether it is preferable for the State to 

 adopt long rotations, in order to provide the most useful timber, or on the contrary, 

 financial rotations because they are the most profitable has long been a moot 

 point among'economists. The great majority of the older writers contend that large 

 timber being indispensable to the welfare of many industries, and the State 

 alone being fitted to grow large timber, it is clearly the duty of the State to 

 assure a permanent supply the indirect benefits gained being held to more than 

 compensate for the smaller rate of interest derived in long rotations. Of late years how- 



