BUSINESS MANAGEMENT OF WOODLOTS 



FOR THE INSTRUCTION OF OWNERS OF FARMS AND 



COUNTRY ESTATES 



By R. ROSENBLUTH 

 Director of Forest Investigations, New York Conservation Commmission 



THE ordinary woodlot owner has outright sale of all the wood "by the 



only a very indefinite idea of lot," and sell by the unit so much per 



what his woodlot is worth, or thousand feet of lumber; so much per 



how best to market the product, pole, etc. ; based on the quantity actually 



In cases where he sells the cordwood cut, or estimated to be standing on the 



only, he may know about what it is tract, and should stipulate that great 



worth as cordwood, but rarely does he care be used to prevent undue injury 



figure whether he could not greatly in- to young growth (with a fine attached 



crease his revenue by selling each tree for trees carelessly broken), and that 



to the best advantage. Thus, for in- trees below certain diameters be left, as 



stance, strange as it may seem, I know well as a few selected individuals of 



of some farmers who are still cutting trees above those diameters, which may 



black cherry for railroad ties and this be marked. 



in a district near large furniture fac- The best results will be obtained by 



tories. having the work done directly by the 



In selling a lot of mature timber, the owner. Where this is impossible, it 



general practice is to sell "by the lot," should be done under his supervision, 



I receiving a stipulated sum for all the or with frequent inspection by a trust- 



i wood on the tract. This arrangement worthy representative. 



is one which practically always works Contract work in the woods should 



! out to the benefit of the buyer rather be guarded by carefully drawn provisions 



than to the owner of the woodlot, as regarding all the important features of 



buyers generally figure on at least a 25 the work. These should be put in the 



per cent margin. form of a written contract, signed by 



Not only is this true of the value of both parties. 



the material cut, but the owner's In a complete detailed contract, pro- 

 greatest loss lies rather in the fact that visions should be included, in detail 

 no provision can be made to save any under the headings of timber to be cut ; 

 desirable trees for a second crop. The provisions against waste; protection 

 buyer paying a fixed sum for everything against damage ; location of camps and 

 in the lot, will "skin" every stick that mill site, etc. ; measurements ; payments ; 

 will yield any profit, and will take no faithful performance ; disputes ; duration 

 care of young growth which he cannot of contract, 

 use, so that what is left to the owner of 

 the woodlot is, indeed, a very poor ESTIMATING THE STAND OF TIMBE 



tract of woods. In cases where the product sold is 

 Many buyers of such timber lots based on the actual amount cut, it is 

 would prefer to buy and pay for only not necessary to know the amount 

 the mature, or at least the larger trees, standing before the cutting is done, in 

 leaving material for a second cut order to make a fair contract for pay- 

 within a few years; but when they buy ment. However, in management it is 

 by the lot, they naturally continue the very desirable to know just how much 

 j old skinning method. of each kind and size of trees is standing 



in the woods, in order to base calcula- 



BETTER METHODS OF SELLING. tions as tQ ^ amolmt which may b e 



It is thus seen that the owners of cut at any time, and still leave a definite 



woodlots should at least abandon the amount for future cuts ; to place intelli- 



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