THE NORTHERN HARDWOOD FOREST. 37 



even in the virgin stands. It is the simplest and easiest method, as 

 well as the cheapest, from the standpoint of logging; but it converts 

 the forest immediately from an uneven-aged old growth to an even- 

 aged young growth form, which may not be desirable if it is planned 

 to perpetuate the stands on a long rotation basis, and especially if it 

 is to serve partially for soil or stream-flow protection. 



To provide against failure of the reproduction because of fire or 

 for some other reason, seed trees may be left. The ordinary rules 

 regarding the selection of seed trees should be observed. These 

 should be thrifty specimens of the desired species, well rooted to 

 lessen danger from windthrow. Short trees with full crowns have 

 correspondingly large root systems, and such should therefore be left 

 for seed supply. Where more slender trees are chosen, they should 

 be left in groups for mutual protection. The number left per acre 

 depends upon the species and the location. To secure an imme- 

 diate heavy seeding, two or three individuals or small groups of the 

 light-seeded species (birch, elm, ash, etc.) should be left per acre; 

 more trees are necessary for basswood, oak, etc. 



The plan of management may contemplate either the abandon- 

 ment of the seed trees, in which case their stumpage value must be 

 charged against the cost of the natural reproduction established, or 

 their removal in a subsequent logging operation. It may even be 

 planned to leave them as " standards," until the succeeding crop of 

 "second growth" is logged. The risk from wind, insects, disease, 

 etc., makes it advisable in any event to charge the value of the seed 

 trees against the cost of reproduction. The unavoidable damage to 

 young growth caused by removing the seed trees may be an item of 

 some importance. Furthermore, the stumpage value of the seed 

 trees may be close to the cost of planting the area with some desirable 

 species. The alternative of planting should always, therefore, be 

 considered before deciding to leave seed trees. 



The selection method is very well adapted to hardwood forests 

 from a silvicultural but not from a logging point of view. The re- 

 moval of carefully selected trees uniformly throughout the stand 

 affords an excellent means of controlling the subsequent composition, 

 and insures a sustained yield of increasing quality. But the trees 

 removed will at first be of inferior value, probably too low to pay 

 logging costs. Only a small percentage of the total volume of the 

 stand will be removed at one time, and the trees will be so scattered 

 that many roads will be necessary and handling charges will be very 

 heavy. At the same time, this system is a difficult one to operate, 

 requiring technical attention of a high grade. In its ideal form, there- 

 fore, the selection system is not yet applicable in this country to large 

 tracts of hardwood timber, except when the management involves 

 some other object than money returns. 



