SHOBTLEAF PINE: IMPORTANCE AND MANAGEMENT. 47 



the width of the opening. With trees averaging 60 feet in height the 

 relation would be 2i0 feet of opening to each 60 feet of timber. This 

 would remove four-fifths of the stand and reduce the second cut, or 

 removal of the seed strips, to an operation of small size. If logging 

 costs or market conditions should make such a small cut impracticable 

 the strips should be made of equal width. In case a large tract is 

 being managed to secure a periodic yield, which is sustained, but com- 

 paratively small, the strips are cut successively starting from some 

 point or points on the leeward side of the stand. A strip is cut at 

 right angles to the prevailing winds, and another is made to the wind- 

 ward as soon as regeneration is fully secured in the first, and so on. 

 When a strip is being cut, the next one may be thinned by the re- 

 moval of all the smaller and some of the medium sized trees. This 

 stimulates seed producing within the stand as an aid in restocking the 

 cleared strip. The last remaining strip in the series should be heavily 

 thinned at the time of the preceding cutting and only 15 to 20 of the 

 larger trees left on each acre. These will serve as seed trees, and on 

 account of the rapid crown development following thinning they 

 should fully restock both strips in the course of three to seven years. 

 After this has been accomplished they are removed, as the final cut- 

 ting of the original stand. 



MIXED STANDS. 



In mixed stands where shortleaf pine is in competition with 

 various hardwoods it has been found most profitable to encourage 

 the pine, thus bringing about a gradual change in the forest type. 

 Detailed studies carried on by the State in western North Carolina 

 show that this is true in forest management of mixed second-growth 

 oak and pine forests 1 over the Piedmont region from Virginia to 

 Georgia. This is recommended because of the rapid rate of growth 

 and greater general usefulness of the pine timber. Its compact crown 

 and ability to grow with only overhead light enable young shortleaf 

 pine to keep pace with or emerge from the general level of its asso- 

 ciates following the coppicing of hardwoods. In brief, the essential 

 steps in accomplishing this desired end are (1) adequate provision 

 for pine seed trees, (2) protection of the young pine in cutting and 

 logging, (3) opening up the forest by the removal of a larger percent- 

 age of the hardwoods, and (4) reducing the fire menace. In the mixed 

 stands in the National Forests of western Arkansas and adjacent 

 regions the ranging of hogs in large numbers for many years past 

 luis very greatly reduced the natural seeding of the associated nut- 

 bearing oaks and hickories, and by preparing a good seed bed has 

 considerably increased that of shortleaf pine. An advantage is 



1 Bulletin 28, I ..r< t Conditions In Western North Curollnu, and Trews Bulletins 04 to 

 84, North Carolina Geologic and Economic Survey. 



