THE SPROUT HARDWOODS REGION 



3^3 



The farmers do considerable logging themselves during the 

 winter months, but not nearly so much as in the other regions. 

 Sawing is by small mills, mostly portable, though there are 

 a number of stationary mills, run by water power or steam, 

 scattered over the region. The portable mills are moved from 

 lot to lot. Oftentimes the owner of the mill does not buy 

 timber himself, but simply rents the mill, sawing for a fixed 

 price per thousand. Mill set-ups of 75,000 to 100,000 feet. 



Fig. 136. — A "C" grade thinning in a stand of pure chestnut about 40 years old. Many 

 of the suppressed trees, being soft and hard maples, and beech, were left according to 

 the French method of thinning, to shade the soil. Yield about 28 cords per acre, cut 

 6 cords per acre. Brush is piled but does not need to be burned. 



board measure, are considered profitable, and indeed in many 

 sections of the region set-ups are made for only 30,000 to 40,000 

 feet, board measure. 



The present logging methods need very little, if any, change 

 to adapt them for use in forest management. Final cutting of 

 the stand clean, as is now done, is generally recommended for 

 all types. It is in making thinnings and cuttings under the 

 polewood sprout system that changes in logging methods are 

 needed. The changes here are simply to accustom choppers to 

 cut the marked trees (usually the smaller ones) without injur- 



