46 FORESTRY 



VI. SILVICULTUKE. 



tThe Relation Between Silvicultural Operations and the 

 Value of Wood Products. 



Silviculture is the art of growing tree crops. In this 

 country it requires a working knowledge of our native 

 species, and an ability to recognize conditions, both in the 

 woods and in the markets. One can hardly consider the 

 production of timber without taking the cost into account. 

 The lumberman holds standing timber either because he 

 has more than he can cut at present, or to profit from 

 an increase in the value of the stumpage. It is his inten- 

 tion to convert the investment into cash by the cutting 

 of the timber and sale of the land for farms if possible. 

 The production of timber means a definite intention to 

 profit by growth. Whatever gain comes from the in- 

 crease of stumpage value is merely .n additional incen- 

 tive. The ideal of the forester :'s to produce the largest 

 crops of the most valuable material in the shortest pos- 

 sible time, and at the least possible expense. Since for- 

 est crops are not obtained for many years after they are 

 planted or started from seed, the only way to calculate 

 returns on investments is by neans o~ compound inter- 

 est. The longer the period, '^e nore rapidly this accu- 

 mulates. For this reason all expenses connected with the. 

 production of forests must be kept as low as possible if 

 one is to receive a reasonable return on his investment. 

 But ideal methods of forest production call for a great 

 deal of work in the forest during the growing of the crop. 

 To produce the largest crops of the most valuable mate- 

 rials, each tree should have room to develop, yet be crowd- 

 ed sufficiently to enable it to clear itself of its lower limbs. 

 In European countries this result is obtained by first se- 

 curing a dense stand of seedlings and then making fre- 

 quent thinnings, in which small material is taken out 

 allowing the remaining tree: to grow freely. But no- 



