694 AMERICAN FORESTRY 



In cutting hardwoods for saw timber, These two countries are close to the 

 a rigid diameter limit is usually em- bottom of the scale of civilization and 

 ployed and the forests are left in an bring out well the force of the state- 

 extremely bad condition due to the fact ment that the progressiveness of a 

 that all old culls are left on the ground country can be measured directly from 

 and these usually form a large per cent its practice of forestry. 

 of the stand in the Adirondack region. England is the only exception to this 

 These culls should be removed where- rule and before long she must take de- 

 ever it can be done without loss and cided steps in reforestation, as the tim- 

 where they have to be left they should her exporting countries of Europe are 

 be killed by girdling in order to give fast coming to the point where they 

 the young trees all the light and soil need at home all they are able to pro- 

 energy, duce. 



The first cutting in hardwood stands The principles of forestry are much 



is sometimes a selection cutting, taking the same the world over and they may 



out the cherry or ash or whatever the be reduced to two fundamental princi- 



most valuable species may be and thus pies. First, that of obtaining a maxi- 



practically doing away with any possible mum yield per acre from forest land ; 



reproduction of the species bringing in second, cutting annually only what the 



the greatest return. If a hardwood forests produce. 



stand is to be kept at anything like its The European countries have passed 



maximum capacity, we must aim in all through the stage in which the United 



operations to get rid of the large, over- States finds herself today. Forestry in 



mature and decayed specimens which the United States as it is being put 



are commonly called culls. Of course forward by its exponents is not guess 



this means much added expense during work by mad theorists ; it is a definite, 



the first operations, but it means also practical science, which has been worked 



a tremendous financial gain at future up by countries which have been forced 



cuts. On the whole, then, hardwoods to provide a wood supply and forest 



could probably be cut to advantage by cover or perish from the earth. The 



using an elastic diameter limit, taking countries which have gone farthest in 



care in all cases to make such cuttings this direction and have the smallest 



as will improve the condition of the areas of waste land are those which 



stand. are the most prosperous and have, the 



The greatest future profit could prob- brighest future. They are also the 



ably be realized from hardwood stands countries which have spent the most 



by underplanting with softwood species, money per acre for forestry. 



The consideration of lumbering 



methods and markets hardly need be WHAT FORESTRY CAN DO. 

 commented on, as such studies would 



be absolutely necessary to any operation. % looking over the examples of 



forestry in other countries, we can see 



WHAT FORESTRY HAS DONE. vei T plainly that forestry pays; and it 



pays returns in a like proportion to the 



Most people who have been interested money expended for proper manage- 

 in the subject of conservation for the ment. 



past few years know that this move- The United States is as yet only in 

 ment is nothing new to the world, but the first stages of a good conservation 

 that it has been practiced for centuries policy and it is extremely important 

 by many of the European countries. In that, if we wish to preserve our pros- 

 fact forestry is practiced by every civil- perity, we learn from the experiences 

 ized country in the world except China of other countries, rather than wait to 

 and Turkey, and these countries, China be forced into the proper channels, 

 in particular, are glaring examples of Forestry in the United States and 

 what deforestation can do to wreck particularly in New York State can ac- 

 the prosperity of a nation. complish certain results. This is not 



