232 FORESTRY IN NEW ENGLAND 



ous insect and fungous enemies. For information in regard to 

 the silvical habits of these species see Chapter III. 



Avoiding Waste in the Woods. — Ten to fifteen years ago there 

 was a large amount of waste in the logging operations of the 

 spruce region — waste of timber, not only according to the possi- 

 bilities of utilization to-day but also of material which was then 

 merchantable, and of young trees in thrifty growing condition. 



Conditions have greatly improved in recent years, due to the 

 increased use of spruce and balsam in smaller sizes for pulp, and 

 also to the fact that operators are more careful to avoid unneces- 

 sary waste in the material cut and to young standing timber. 

 However, on many operations there is still abundant opportunity 

 for further improvement along this line. 



The principal ways in which material is wasted in the woods 

 are: 



1. In cutting high stumps. (Stumps should be cut down to 



where the swelling of the roots begins.) 



2. In not cutting trees to smallest possible diameter in the 



tops. 



3. In failure to utilize windfalls, and dead and dying trees 



containing merchantable material. 



4. In destroying promising young growth either to make the 



work of logging easier or for use in construction of skid- 

 ways, bridges, etc. 



In considering the subject of waste great weight must be given 

 to the logging and market problem of each particular tract. 

 For example, on one tract it may be possible to utilize trees to 

 a three-inch top, while on another tract six inches is the lowest 

 possible limit. Hence, if seven inches is the present average 

 cutting limit in the tops on both tracts, the amount wasted in 

 the tops is vastly different in the two cases. 



Thus, in studying the amount of waste no standard for the 

 region should be taken. For each particular operation there 

 should be an investigation made of what there constitutes 



