108 THE MANAGEMENT OF WOODLANDS. 



The normal growing-stock refers to the sum-total of the crops 

 in all the age-classes. If a 100-year-old tree be cut, then the 

 timber obtained comprises all the annual increments made by it 

 each year up to 100 ; and if all the woods were in a normal 

 condition the annual fall, including thinnings, would be equal 

 to the total increment accruing each year throughout all the 

 crops, so that the mature annual fall, plus the thinnings, would 

 be equal to the normal increment. 



A Normal Condition is, however, only a theoretical ideal to 

 be aimed at ; it cannot be attained, and it could not long be 

 maintained. But the nearer one approximates to it, the more 

 one gains its ADVANTAGES, viz. : (1) it enables regular annual 

 supplies to be offered for sale, and thus helps to secure, utilise, 

 and maintain any local demand for timber, &c. ; (2) it affords 

 more regular employment to labour, which may thus become 

 cheaper and more efficient; (3) it ensures a regular annual 

 income from the woodlands ; and (4) it provides the best 

 security against damage from wind, fire, insects, fungus diseases, 

 &c. ; while its only DISADVANTAGES are that (1) in trying to 

 attain this ideal condition, some crops may have to be cut 

 before they are fully mature, and others may have to be left 

 standing though already mature, and (2) advantage cannot be 

 taken of any temporary rise in price for any given kind or size 

 of timber during any one season. 



The Normal Capital in Wood may be roughly estimated as 

 being equal to the Mature Annual Fall x the No. of years in 

 the Rotation -r- 2. Here the Mature Annual Fall is the number 

 of acres felled x the yield per acre in timber or its net market 

 value. But this is only true theoretically and as a rough 

 general approximation, because both the normal and the actual 

 capital in wood or growing crops vary according to the rotation, 

 kind of tree, soil, situation, climate, &c. ; and this normal 

 capital is annually diminished by the normal yield forming one 

 year's fall, which is equal to the total growth for one year on 



