26 



BULLETIX 93?., U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



The light-colored sapwoocl of black walnut used to be considered 

 more of a defect than it is now. It is the present practice of most 

 manufacturers to subject their lumber to a steaming process as soon 

 as it comes from the saw. This steaming turns the sapwood to the 

 same color as the heartwood and renders it equally salable. The 

 sapwood of posts decays very much faster than the heartwood, and 

 this renders the use of round walnut posts decidedly unsatisfactory. 



GROWTH OF STANDS (YIELD PER ACRE). 



It is difficult to estimate the yield on an acreage basis, of a species 

 that characteristically grows so scattered as black walnut does. How- 

 ever, the yields of pure, open, grovelike stands are given here as 

 examples of what may be expected of natural stands under the best 

 conditions. 



The first example is that of a walnut stand 'covering an area of 

 2.5 acres, located in Decatur County, Ind. The growth is scattered 

 somewhat regularly over the whole area, except near the middle, 

 where an area of perhaps one-quarter of an acre was cleared around 

 a gas well. The stand is entirely of walnut, apparently even-aged and 

 about 50 years old. The forest floor is covered by a blue-grass sod 

 and is grazed by hogs and cattle. Naturally under these circum- 

 stances there is no reproduction. The slope is slightly to the north, 

 where a small permanent stream bounds the grove. The soil is a 

 deep, rich loam, similar to that of the cultivated fields adjoining. 

 (See Table 7.) 



Table 7. 



Diameter breast high. 



Number 

 of trees 

 per acre. 



Estimated 



yield per 



acre. 



Diameter breast high. 



Number 

 of trees 

 per acre. 



Estimated 



yield per 



acre. 



Inches. 

 Below 8 



10.0 

 .8 

 1.6 

 6.8 

 8.4 

 7.1 

 9.3 



Board feet. 



Inches. 

 20 to 22 



6.0 

 2.4 

 1.6 

 1.2 

 .4 



Board feet. 

 960 

 552 

 512 

 534 

 246 



8to 10 





22 to 24 



lOtol^ 





24 to 26 



12 to 14 





26to2S 



14tol6 



336 



497 



1,023 



28 to 30 





Total per acre 



18 to 20 



55. 6 



4,660 







The larger merchantable trees on this area, together with some 

 very large, short, " fence-corner " trees on another part of the farm — 

 a total of 68 trees estimated to contain 15,000 board feet — were sold 

 for $102.50 a thousand board feet on the stump. The above estimate 

 of 4,660 board feet in this grove is believed to be low ; but if it is 

 accepted as it stands it gives a value of $477.65 an acre after 50 years, 

 or an annual income of $9.55 an acre. In making comparisons it is 

 imperative to remember that this stumpage price was exceptionally 

 high even in a period of vastly inflated war prices. Before the war 

 $40 a thousand would have been high. 



