THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST 



77 



hand, care was taken not to represent the maximum of the 

 better class, data being taken only from permanent forest 

 land and not from rich potential agricultural land which 

 might show unfairly rapid forest growth. The average areas 

 were actually measured and the number, age, form, diameter 

 growth, height growth, board foot contents, etc., of all the 

 trees on them were accurately determined. Trees 12 inches 

 in diameter 4*4 feet from the ground were considered mer- 

 chantable, and it was assumed they could be used to 8 inches 

 in the top. From this data were prepared tables and dia 

 grams showing the average development of trees and stands 

 under fairly favorable conditions in the region west of the 

 Cascades. 



This gave the following yield per acre : 



Age of Stand. 



90 



100 



110 



120 



130 



Feet, B. M. 



70,200 



79,800 



90,300 



101,500 



113.000 



Let us see how these figures can be used in answering the 

 primary question of the prospective timber-grower : "Will it 

 pay to hold my cut-over land for a second crop ?" 



Obviously no certain answer can be printed here, not only 

 because no uniform stumpage prices or carrying charges can 

 be predicted but also because individuals may differ as to 

 what profit is necessary to make the investment "pay," so it 

 will be necessary to analyze the situation so each may select 

 the premises which suit his own case and judgment. The 

 investment made by the holder of cut-over land is of two 

 kinds ; that represented by the land which otherwise he might 

 sell, putting the proceeds at work in some other business, and 

 the annual carrying charges which otherwise he might also 

 invest differently. The sum obtainable by investing the 

 money available by sale after logging, adding to it yearly the 

 sum required for fire prevention and taxes, and compounding 

 both at a satisfactory interest for the entire period, is prac- 



