THE SOUTHERN CYPRESS. 63 



trees and will produce a higher average grade of timber. Since 

 cypress seeds frequently and in good quantity, seedlings may be 

 expected to fill in the blank spaces left. 



Thinning or selective cutting for ties, poles, etc., or taking the larger 

 trees down to a diameter limit of from 14 to 18 inches, can be prac- 

 ticed as a rule in ponds and small inland swamps, because of their 

 accessibility during fall dry weather, and the ease with which small 

 skidding engines mounted on runners can be moved and set up along 

 their margins. On account of unfavorable conditions, growth is 

 relatively slow in shallow undrained cypress ponds. 



PROFITABLENESS OP GROWING CYPRESS POLES. 



The profitableness of growing cypress on short rotations, reck- 

 oning on the basis of present prices, promises a rather better showing 

 for poles than for ties and possibly also than for saw timber. 



In 60 years second-growth cypress trees will yield poles 30 to 32 

 feet long, -6 inches at the top and about 14 inches at the butt. Such 

 poles are worth in stumpage from 25 to 50 cents apiece. In 100 

 years 40-foot poles about 8 inches at the top end are obtained, worth 

 at present about $1 each in the tree. Average well-stocked, pure 

 stands, 50 to 75 years old, contain approximately from 250 to 350 

 trees per acre. The stumpage value in poles at current prices will 

 amount to $75 to $150 per acre at 60 years, or $200 to $300 at 100 

 years. Figuring on a 60-year rotation: 



Value of land, $2.50 1 per acre, compounded at 6 per cent annually for 60 



years $82. 48 



Taxes at 2 cents annually compounded for 60 years at 6 per cent 10. 66 



93.14 



This indicates the profitableness of holding young cypress for 

 poles on lands, with an average value of $2.50 per acre and assessed 

 at 60 per cent of their real value. At a stumpage production of 

 S 1 00 an acre for fully stocked natural stands a profit of a little over 

 6 per cent, compounded annually, will be realized at the end of 60 

 years. In case artificial stocking is necessary by planting seedlings, 

 costing $6 un acre, on land valued at $2.50 per acre, the same crop 

 will produce a net profit on the total investment of about 4 percent, 

 compounded annually. 



Prom the values given above it is clear that growing cypress poles 

 on a 100-year rotation would be less profitable, even starting with 

 fully storked natural stands, than on a 60-year rotation. Similar 

 calculations indicate that it would be comparatively unprofitable 

 to grow lies fvrf|>t for the reduced cost of getting them to market. 

 The promise of success in growing cypress is greator on small tracts 

 near local markels and also where water logging is possible. 



1 Ahout 1.7 times the assessed taxation value of $1.50 per acre. 



