CHESTNUT IN TENNESSEE. 23 



EVEN-AGED STANDS. 



There are in Tennessee probably more than 100,000 acres of 

 even-aged, second-growth chestnut, either in pure stands or where 

 chestnut forms more than one-half of the stand. These are largely 

 sprout forests on old "coalings," which were made to supply char- 

 coal with which to operate forges, furnaces, or smelters. A small 

 number of these stands are in "deadenings," which were never cul- 

 tivated or were cultivated only a few years. Few of them have 

 resulted from lumberings, but as closer utilization becomes possible, 

 lumbering will approximate clean cutting and even-aged .stands of 

 young growth will largely replace the uneven-aged forest. While 

 these even-aged sprout stands give high yields of straight, clean- 

 bodied timber, there is one drawback in their management which 

 cannot be overlooked; that in order to obtain vigorous sprouts it is 

 necessary to cut at the inconvenient seasons of winter, spring, or 

 early summer. If the stumps are cut in autumn many will fai) to 

 sprout, and early summer cutting is also objectionable, because the 

 bark from which the sprouts arise is easily separated from the 

 stump, and is likely to be torn off during the lumbering operations. 



In the management of even-aged stands yield tables, which show 

 the amount of wood that can be cut at different ages, are necessary. 

 Their chief value is to 'indicate the age at which stands that have 

 different rates of growth may reach the period of maximum growth,, 

 or maturity, and should be cut. It is necessary to determine this 

 age for each product into which the timber can be converted, since 

 the age of maturity varies for various products. Yield tables can 

 also be used for estimating the quantities of material which can be 

 expected from the second-growth stands which will follow after the 

 old timber is cut. In using yield tables to make such forecasts, 

 however, it is necessary to make proper allowance when the mixture 

 of other species differs from that allowed in the yield tables'. 



Under present conditions yield tables of this character can sel- 

 dom be used in timber estimating, since they are constructed for 

 dense, second-growth stands which have been uninjured by fire or 

 cattle, and are applicable only to such conditions. The yield of 

 most second-growth stands is much below that of the tables. The 

 tables, however, serve to indicate the large yields which can be 

 obtained by protecting clean-cut land and securing dense, even-aged 

 stands. 



Cordwood Chestnut cordwood is chiefly used for tannic acid 



