30 CHESTNUT IN TENNESSEE. 



facilities, and it is impossible to make several cuttings at short 

 intervals, cuttings need not begin until the largest trees are 17 

 inches in diameter, and all trees can be cut to a diameter of 13 

 inches. This would make possible a heavy cutting and still leave 

 a large number of very slender trees less than 13 inches in diameter, 

 most of which would become merchantable within 15 years when 

 the stand could be cut clean. 



Young forests of poles, 12 inches or less in diameter, on farms 

 or near a market, should be treated as cordwood stands for extract 

 wood. If correctly done, the thinnings will greatly increase the 

 yield of ties over that given in Table 7, and enable most of the trees 

 to be simultaneously developed to tie size. They can then be removed 

 in two cuttings made at such short intervals as to amount practi- 

 cally to a clean cutting. 



Poles There is a regular market for poles in Tennessee, and 

 this is one of the most profitable forms in which small chestnut tim- 

 ber can be marketed. Poles are best produced in sprout stands in 

 qualities one and two; that is, in the mountain coves and on other 

 soils of good quality. On the poor si-tes the stems of the trees are 

 apt to be crooked, and have too little taper to meet pole specifica- 

 tions for the larger sizes. Specifications are more easily complied 

 with when the growth is very thrifty. Pole production should be 

 attempted only when logging is easy and transportation by railroads 

 or streams is close at hand. The cost of handling large and long 

 poles is so great that inexperienced contractors frequently fail to 

 make a profit in handling them. Stands intended for poles should 

 be thinned in the manner described for ties. Tall, straight, and 

 sound poles, many of which will have approximately the taper called 

 for in the specifications of the American Telephone and Telegraph 

 Company, can be grown in this way. Table 9 gives the specifica- 

 tions for poles as required by this company. These are approx- 

 imately the same as required by other users of poles. 



Table 9 Specifications for poles. American Telephone and Tel- 

 egraph Company. Minimum dimensions for peeled poles. 



