656 AMERICAN FORESTRY 



USE BUT DO NOT ABUSE 

 FARM WOODLANDS 



By C. R. Tillotson 



FARM woodlands are today being drawn upon for large quantities of timber for war purposes. There is 

 a big demand for logs of black walnut, white oak, hickory, spruce, black locust, yellow birch, yellow 

 poplar, rock elm, ash, white cedar (in the Southern States); and also for the bark of chestnut, oak, and 

 hemlock if near tannin-extract factories. Large, sound trees of these species should be cut and marketed 

 for war purposes, and under no consideration used for cordwood except as their tops and branches may be 

 utilized for this purpose. 



Farm woodlands are also furnishing perhaps double the ordinary amount of wood for fuel. This 

 increased demand may result in considerable and lasting damage to the woodlands unless certain pre- 

 cautions are taken. On the other hand, the cutting of cordwood affords each owner of woodland an oppor- 

 tunity to clear his land and put his timber in better condition. To accomplish this the idea to keep in 

 mind is to remove for cordwood the poorer, less valuable trees, leaving the better ones to stand. In re- 

 moving the fuel wood the greatest precaution should be taken not to injure the more valuable trees or the 

 young growth. Briefly, the material which should be removed is as follows : 



1. Sound sticks lying on the ground. This will include tops which have been left in logging opera- 

 tions, and trees which have been blown over by the wind, crushed down by snow, or otherwise toppled 

 over. If left on the ground these tops and trees are' a serious fire menace, will eventually rot, and are 

 then of no value for any purpose. 



2. Dead trees which are sound and still standing. They are usually dry, make good firewood, and are 

 of no account in the woods. 



3. Trees which are diseased, or are so seriously injured by insects that they will probably die; and 

 also trees which are specially subject to serious disease or insect attack. By cutting them out the spread 

 of the disease or insects may be checked. Thus chestnut, which is almost certain to be killed when 

 attacked by the chestnut bark disease, should be cut out in preference to other kinds of trees whenever this 

 disease is present. 



4. Crooked trees which are crowding out straight ones. The former will not become valuable timber 

 trees while the latter may. 



5. Large old trees unsuitable for lumber, and having big tops which shade out numerous smaller trees 

 growing beneath them. 



6. Small trees which are overtopped and stunted by larger and better ones. The former are not likely 

 to develop into trees of any value. 



7. Trees of the less valuable kind which are crowding good trees of the more valuable kinds. Thus a 

 black oak or a beech which is crowding out a white oak or a hard maple of equal size and health should 

 be removed. 



8. Trees which by some chance are growing on ground unsuited to them. They will not grow into 

 valuable lumber trees. Thus a yellow poplar on a dry ridge should be cut out in preference to a hickory, 

 an oak, or a pine in its locality. 



9. Slowly growing trees which are crowding out equally valuable kinds that grow faster. Thus a white 

 oak, hickory, or sugar maple should be removed in preference to a yellow poplar, black walnut, or ash. 



10. Trees badly fire-scarred at the butt. These are of less value for lumber than sound trees. They 

 usually become rotten, and are among the first to be blown over by heavy winds. 



11. The ideal trees for cordwood are those which range from 4 to about 10 inches in diameter. The 

 yield of cordwood from trees smaller than 4 inches in diameter is very slight, and trees larger than 10 

 inches in diameter are usually more valuable for some other purpose, unless they are defective. 



L 



