Dec. 1939] Marketing of Farm Woodland Products 9 



The acreage of each tract of merchantable timber was classified ac- 

 cording to type and quality^ Estimates in board feet were made by 

 species for the softwoods and grouped for the hardwoods. From the 

 standpoint of our stud}^, it seemed that this information would form an 

 important part of any supply analysis and would be of as much signifi- 

 cance as more complete figures for the total woodland acreage. 



The total woodland acreage for the area is 223,424 of which 51,827 

 acres are merchantable and 171,597 unmerchantable. Were it possible 

 to predict with any degree of accuracy future trends of important eco- 

 nomic factors, much more detailed information would undoubtedly be of 

 value. 



Courtesy of White Mountain National Forest. 



Good stand of young hardwood from which poor quality material has been re- 

 moved for fuelwood. Species remaining are paper birch, white ash and sugar maple. 



During the period previous to 1920, in which the greatest logging ac- 

 tivity occurred, stands were greatly depleted, but since that time much 

 of the demand for lumber has been met by shipments from outside New 

 England, thus reducing the demand upon local woodlands. 



A few areas of softwood which were marketable during the period of 

 exploitation but which were not cut, now contain many individual trees 

 badly in need of removal. This is especially tme of some pine stands. 



Many acres cut over some years ago and not of merchantable age 

 when market conditions were good are now at a point where partial cut- 



*Quality standards were: 



Good — One and one-half 16-foot logs or more, fairly free from limbs and defects. 

 Fair — One to one and one-half logs, not over 35 per cent defective. 

 Poor — Over 35 per cent defective, scrubby, or otherwise of poor quality. 

 The following minimum diameters at breast height were adhered to: 



1. Spruce, fir, aspen, white pine^5.0 inches. 



2. Hemlock, paper birch, white ash — 7.0 inches. 



3. All other species (maple, beech, yellow birch, oak, etc.) — 9.0 inches. 



