﻿30 BULLETIN 11, U. S. DEPAKTMENT OF AGKICULTUKE. 



Methods op Cutting. 



There are three general methods of cutting loblolly-pine forests to 

 provide for the proper seeding of the area cut: (1) Clean cutting 

 except for scattered individuals or groups of loblolly-pine seed trees: 

 (2) clean cutting in strips or patches ; (3) successive thinning method. 

 The two last methods are adapted chiefly to pure or nearly pure stands 

 of loblolly, while the first is suitable to all types and mixtures in which 

 the species occurs. 



SCATTERED SEED TREES AND SCATTERED GROUPS. 



The scattered seed-tree method consists in clean cutting every- 

 thing except from 4 to 10 loblolly pine seed trees per acre, left evenly 

 distributed over the area to be reproduced. This is the simplest 

 method and the one usually to be recommended, as it is adaptable to 

 both pure stands and to loblolly in mixture with other species. The 

 cutting should preferably be made when it is seen that there will be a 

 good seed year. The number of seed trees which should be left varies 

 with their height; if over 70 feet tall, from 4 to 7 trees per acre will 

 be sufficient; if under 70 feet tall a larger number will be necessary. 

 Tress which will produce the most seed should be left, i. e., trees with 

 the largest crowns, which are also the most windftrm. Whenever 

 there is much danger from windfall it will be best to leave scattered 

 groups of from 3 to 9 trees. Seed trees or groups should be left to 

 grow for another rotation, or taken out when an improvement thin- 

 ning is made in the new stand. In case of mixed stands it is important 

 to cut clean all trees of other species and to leave only loblolly seed 

 trees. 



CLEAN CUTTING IN STRIPS AND PATCHES. 



These methods consist in clean cutting in strips from 100 to 150 

 feet wide, or clean cutting patches from 100 to 300 feet across, to be 

 seeded from the adjacent or surrounding forest which remains intact 

 until the area is reproduced. This method is best adapted to pure 

 or nearly pure stands, and in any case a large proportion of the 

 dominant trees along the edge of the adjacent uncut stand should be 

 loblolly pine. Especial care should be taken to leave the forest intact 

 on the side from which the prevailing fall and winter winds blow, in 

 order to insure dissemination of the seed over the area cut. The 

 cutting should preferably be made when it is seen that there will be a 

 good seed year. The width of the strips should not exceed twice the 

 height of the trees in the adjacent uncut forest, while the width of 

 clean-cut patches can be somewhat greater. 



Not over two-thirds of the area of the forest should be contained 

 in the strips or patches cut, and preferably not more than half; in the 



