SIIORTLEAF PINE IN VIRGINIA &7 



if they fall, they can be used without breaking down too many of 

 the small trees in the young stand. Since the period of restock- 

 ing by this method would probably occupy from four to six years, 

 the soil would not be fully used during this time. 



Cutting in Strips. Complete and rapid stocking is better as- 

 sured by cutting in strips, but this method presupposes a continu- 

 ous market for saw logs. The area should be clear-cut over strips 

 not exceeding 200 feet in width, alternating with strips of equal 

 width which are only culled of the smaller trees. On level ground 

 these strips should be at right angles to the roads; on hilly land 

 they should lie up and down the slopes. The wooded strips should 

 be heavily thinned by the removal of all except the largest trees, 

 which should not exceed twenty to the acre, and should be left 

 well isolated. These trees will serve as seed trees, and on account 

 of their large number they should seed the entire area heavily 

 within five to ten years. As soon as a thorough restocking is 

 assured they can be cut. Some of the young trees will be broken 

 down, but the loss will not be serious. The diameter growth of 

 the seed trees after the thinning will be large because of this isola- 

 tion. Blanks ten or more feet square left after the seed trees are 

 cut should be planted by seed spotting as described under the di- 

 rections for planting. The t\vo loggings will increase the danger 

 from fire, requiring additional precautionary measures to be taken. 



This method can be varied by leaving the seed trees in groups. 



Cutting Unthinned Stands. Both of the above methods pre- 

 suppose that the stand which is being cut has been thinned, and 

 consequently is formed entirely or largely of trees of merchantable 

 size. 



An understocked stand, similar to that shown in plate III, 

 and in which the trees are largely of merchantable size, can be 

 cut so as to secure a restocking, by leaving some of the more 

 slender but well crowned trees for seed trees. 



The problem of cutting a crowded stand to the best advantage 

 and in a manner to secure a restocking is more difficult. The trees 

 in such a stand have a much greater range of diameter than those 

 ii> a thinned stand. There is a large number of small suppressed 

 and intermediate trees which may be too small to be cut eco- 

 nomically for saw timber '(see "Waste in cutting small trees," page 

 35). In such a case it may be desirable to remove the stand in 

 two ^r more cuttings, made at intervals of five or more years. At 

 the first cutting only the largest trees should be cut, particularly 



