SUGAE PINE. 35 



In a year when sugar-pine seed is plentiful it can be collected in 

 large quantities from felled trees or from standing trees by climbing 

 and cutting off the cones with an improvised cutting knife on a pole 

 for from 50 to 60 cents per pound. Collecting small quantities is 

 more expensive. 



Attempts have been made to restock denuded areas with sugar 

 pine by sowing- the seed directly in the field either broadcast or in 

 prepared seed spots. Both of these methods have failed absolutely. 

 The seed has either been devoured by rodents before germination or 

 the young trees have succumbed to the effect of drought during the 

 first season. 



A small supply of sugar-pine stock for field planting is now being 

 produced annually at the Pilgrim Creek Nursery, near McCloud, Cal,, 

 on the Shasta Forest, and experiments in planting have been con- 

 ducted near there and also in Plumas County. So far it has been 

 very difficult to produce satisfactory trees, both because the seed 

 germinates very slowly and incompletely and on account of the un- 

 satisfactory development of the seedlings and transplants. Results 

 indicate that 3-year-old trees are the best adapted to field conditions. 

 Plantations of 3-year-old trees have cost, on an average, about S22 

 per acre, including all items. This cost is excessive and is only 

 justified by the value of the experiments. If this preliminary work 

 is fairly successful, costs can be decreased as the scale of work is 

 increased. 



MANAGEMENT OF PRIVATE TIMBERLANDS. 



Private timber holdings may be divided mto two principal groups — ■ 

 individual holdings and corporate holdings. The individual holdings 

 are generally smaller than the corporats ones, and it is usually the 

 natural desire of individual holders to secure all possible profit from 

 their lands during a lifetime. It is undoubtedly just as good business 

 for such owners to protect their capital (standing merchantable 

 timber) against loss as it is for the proprietor of any other business to 

 carry insurance. Protection of cut-over areas, except in so far as is 

 necessary to prevent the loss of merchantable timber adjoining or 

 equipment, however, is not at present profitable to this class of 

 owners. 



Corporations may look further into the future, since their life is 

 irulofinite. Thus far they have found it more profitable to extend 

 their operating life by adding to their holdings rather than to attempt 

 to maintain their cut-over lands in such a condition of productiveness 

 that a profitable second crop can be derived from them by the time 

 the entire area has been cut over. It is self-evident, however, that 

 as the supply of stumpage decreases its value will increase until it 

 equals the cost of f)n)f]ucing tiiul)er. It is fair to assume, therefore, 



