1 8 CONNECTICUT EXPERIMENT STATION, BULLETIN NO. 178. 



tooth saws which cut out a 9-32 inch kerf, which means a loss 

 of one board in four. This is probably unavoidable as the 

 stands of timber are so small that any other form of mill is 

 out of the question, but the unnecessary loss due to the saw 

 not lining up or the teeth not, being in good shape is avoidable. 

 Where the stand is being cut for ties the felling crews cut the 

 logs into tie lengths, and the sawyer does not save the boards 

 that the cut may contain above the tie contents, as there is little 

 demand for eight-foot boards. If the logs were cut in two 

 tie lengths, this question of tfae short board would be avoided 

 and a merchantable product obtained in place of a thick slab. 



The sale of a stand by the thousand feet is undesirable since 

 there is then a tendency on the part of the operator to cut as 

 rapidly as possible, and not to get the maximum amount out 

 of each log. There is a lack of appreciation of the loss from 

 the cutting of high stumps and leaving merchantable material 

 in the tops. If the stump is six inches too high, the loss in the 

 average tree is from one to two per cent, and it is the best timber 

 in the tree which is wasted. 



RECOMMENDATIONS. 



Cutting a stand of chestnut simply because there are a few 

 diseased trees scattered through it is to be avoided if possible. 

 The stand should be watched and when the loss from the disease 

 is greater than the increase by growth the stand should be cut. 

 The value of the timber is steadily increasing so long as it is 

 growing thriftily, and it is good policy to hold a stand as 

 long as possible, to get the greatest possible growth and this 

 increase in value. A tree killed by the blight is still merchant- 

 able, as the timber is not affected so far as can be determined 

 by test. 



The owner of a timber lot should cut out the diseased trees, 

 not so much to prevent the spread of the infection as to save 

 the material already grown. In cutting a stand it is advisable 

 to leave species other than chestnut so that there may be some 

 reproduction by seed to take the place of the chestnut if it does 

 not recover sufficiently to sprout. 



In a pure chestnut stand where the infection is bad, clearing 

 of brush and planting with pine is the best method for keeping 

 the area in forest. 



