64 PRACTICAL FORESTRY IN 



which requires a careful choice of the individual trees to be 

 removed. Fixed diameter limits and the leaving of any 

 specified number of seed trees per acre can be very largely 

 disregarded. 



'The condition of every sugar and yellow pine on the sale 

 area should be studied closely to determine whether that tree 

 will be merchantable thirty years hence, by which time a 

 second cut is probable. As a rule the trees which will remain 

 merchantable for another thirty years should be left. Sup- 

 pressed and crowded trees which cannot develop should be 

 removed. Under this system of marking, ordinarily about 

 one-half of the present stand of merchantable pine would be 

 left uncut. Will it pay ? 



"On areas where practically all of the pine is over-matured 

 and would be cut under the rule given above, a sufficient 

 stand must be left to reseed thoroughly the cut-over land. 

 This requires not less than four full seed-bearing trees, at 

 least 25 inches in diameter, per acre. The strongest and 

 thriftiest trees available should be selected for this purpose, 

 but not less than the number specified must be left even if 

 every tree will be a total loss before a second cut is possible. 



"Extensive areas of pine timber which are not yet fully 

 mature should be excluded from the sale. On patches or small 

 areas of immature pine, which it is not practicable to ex- 

 clude from the sale, cutting should be very light, limited to 

 one-third or less of the largest trees, or omitted altogether. 



"No attempt to discriminate sharply between sugar and 

 yellow pine should be made, as both trees are almost equally 

 desirable. Where a choice is necessary, sugar pine should be 

 favored on moist situations, as in canyons, moist pockets, or 

 benches and on northerly exposures. Yellow pine should be 

 favored on dry situations, including exposed ridges and 

 southern exposures. 



"Fir and incense cedar should be marked, as a rule, to as 

 low a diameter as these trees are merchantable in order to re- 

 duce the proportion of these species in coming reproduction. 

 It is essential, however, that no large openings be made in 



