CHESTNUT IN TENNESSEE. 21 



sites. But even in cutting to such limits considerable discretion 

 should be used. A thrifty young, smooth-barked tree, with a long, 

 straight stem, might well be held over for the second cutting, even 

 if as large as 20 inches in diameter, since such a tree would un- 

 doubtedly be making a rapid growth. On the other hand, trees 

 below these diameters, if short-bodied, crooked, and defective, or 

 trees which are shading a thrifty group of young saplings, or crowd- 

 ing a group of poles, might well be cut, even if the profit in cutting 

 them is very small. Thrifty young trees, the cutting of which would 

 yield only a small profit, should be left if the cost of logging is low 

 enough to permit it. 



The utilization of large, old timber should be as clean as possi- 

 ble, but it will be impossible to use many of the old trees which are 

 too defective for sawtimber. These can be left, since they will not 

 only serve as seed trees, but may eventually be used for tannic 

 extract stock. In localities where the market is better and where 

 posts, ties, and extract stock can be sold, even if the local transpor- 

 tation must be done by flume or road, the forest can be left in much 

 better condition for future earning value. It will be possible to cut 

 out most of the old, defective trees and convert the seedling stand 

 into a sprout stand, which will have a greater capacity for growth. 

 Seedling chestnuts eight inches or less in diameter should not be 

 cut, however, but should be left to replace exhausted stock at the 

 second cutting. All other species which are mixed in with groups 

 of chestnut, and which can be used, should be cut at the same time 

 as the chestnut in order that the chestnut sprouts may have full 

 light for their growth. When there is a market for poplar or pine 

 pulpwood, seed trees of these species should be left, since they make 

 a good mixture with the chestnut. Red maple and black gum, if 

 taken for paper stock, should be cut to the smallest merchantable 

 diameter. Seed trees of chestnut oak and red oak can be left, but 

 Spanish oak and white oak should be cut to smallest merchantable 

 size. 



Timber which has a rate of growth as slow, or slower than that 

 on second-quality sites, should be managed so as to secure even-aged 

 sprout stands. This would apply not only to much of the timber on 

 the south slopes, ridges, and upper north slopes of mountains in the 

 eastern part of the State and the Cumberland plateau, but to chest- 

 nut stands as far west as Stewart and Hickman counties. The 

 chestnut on poor sites is largely associated with chestnut oak, which 



