AMERICAN FOREST CONGRESS 129 



this only when hardwood of proper dimensions is not 

 available. The logging engines burn either coal or 

 pine knots, or wood cut from tops ; no live timber is 

 cut for fuel. The use of tops, both in logging opera- 

 tions and for fuel, is encouraged, for this not only 

 saves much valuable timber, but cleans up the slash 

 and reduces the danger from fire. 



Except where extra length is required to fill special 

 bills, it is a rule to cut short logs in 12 to i6-foot 

 lengths. This makes it possible to work the trees well 

 up into the tops, and uses the timber much more closely 

 than is commonly done in longleaf pine logging where 

 log lengths of 25 to 36 feet are out and often a very 

 large amount of merchantable material is left on the 

 ground in tops. 



Tapping for turpentine has been a fruitful cause 

 of destruction in forests of longleaf pine. With the 

 greatly increased demand for naval stores, it has 

 become customary all over the South to box the 

 smallest trees for turpentine. After a few years an 

 abandoned turpentine orchard is a scene of utter ruin. 

 The loss entailed to the productive capacity of the 

 forest is enormous. Improved methods of turpentin- 

 ing are suggested which greatly limit the boxing and 

 chipping of the trees. Small credence will be placed 

 in their effectiveness in avoiding deterioration of the 

 forest, especially by the lumberman who has seen in 

 thousands of cases the loss in lumber value through 

 the after effects of fire and decay which has resulted 

 from the mere notching of trees to test their grain. 

 On our lands turpentining has been limited absolutely 

 to the trees which will be cut for the saw mill, and we 

 turpentine only two years in advance of lumbering. 

 The same mark indicates the trees which are not to be 

 turpentined nor cut for lumber. As long as tapping 



