RATE OF GROWTH. 49 



Summary of measurements of ten trees of chestnut oak on Noland Creek, Swain County, N. C. 



[Soil, good; elevation, 3,200 feet.] 



Age years . . 221 



Diameter of stump, inside bark inches. . 30. 4 



Average increase in diameter of stump for each decade do 1.4 



Increase in diameter for last ten years do. . . 0. 6 



Height feet. . 95 



Length of merchantable timber do. . . 43 



Merchantable timber feet B. M. . 885 



Chestnut. Chestnut grows veiy rapidly when young, especially in height, 

 but after it is 50 or 60 years old the height growth greatlj^ decreases and 

 ceases almost altogether after it is one hundred years old. The diameter growth 

 is more sustained, and is especially rapid at the lower part of the stem, so that 

 the trunks taper very much or are swollen at the butt. Chestnuts will yield \Qvy 

 much less timber than poplars of the same stump diameter on account of their 

 shorter stems and the greater amount of taper. 



Summary of measurements of a group of six chestnuts on south slope, Linville River, North Carolina. 



[Soil, poor; elevation, 400 feet.] 



Age ^ years.. 205 



Diameter of stump, inside bark : inches. . 29 



Average increase in diameter of stump for each decade do... 1.3 



Increase in diameter for last ten years do. . . 0. 6 



Height feet. . 86 



Length of merchantable timber do. . . 28 



Diameter, at top of merchantable timber, inside bark inclies. . 22 



IMerchantable timber feet B. M. . 620 



Summary of measurements of a group of nine chestnuts in a sheltered hollow on Noland Creek, Swain 



County, N. C. 



[Soil, good; aspect, southerly; elevation, 2,500 feet.] 



Age years. . 202 



Diameter of stump, inside bark inches. . 41 



Average increase in diameter of stump for each decade do... 2 



Increase in diameter for last ten years do. . . 1. 1 



Height feet. . 108 



Length of merchantable timber do. . . 62 



Diameter, at top of merchantable timber, inside bark inches.. 21 



IMerchantable timber feet B. ]VI. . 2, 200 



10336 No. 3705 4 



