UTILIZATION AND MANAGEMENT OF LODGEPOLE PINE. 25 



Marking Rules for Lodgepole-Pine Stands on the Deerlodge National 



Forest. 



classification of stands. 



1. Over-mature stands: 



Such stands are over 160 years in age, contain mainly trees 10 inches or over 

 in diameter, which have evidently passed maturity and are practically at a 

 standstill, if not on the decline. 



A very large proportion of the cubic-foot volume of the stand consists of mate- 

 rial 8 inches and over in diameter. 



In openings which have occurred in the stand from various causes there are 

 frequently groups of young or middle-aged trees which are thrifty and growing 

 fairly rapidly. Owing to the thinning out of the crown cover with old age, there is 

 also usually more or less reproduction on the ground. An example of this class 

 of stands is that found in Julius Gulch, on the French Gulch sale area. 



2. Mature stands: 



Stands of this class usually range in age from 120 to 160 years, but may fre- 

 quently be older than 160 and in a few cases younger than 120, depending mainly 

 upon the stage of development of the stand, as a whole, as to the production of 

 trees 10 inches or over in diameter. 



This classification aims to include stands which contain a large number of 

 1 trees 10 inches and over in diameter which are now ready for cutting, with a 

 considerable proportion of the whole number of trees, usually over 60 per cent, 

 below 10 inches in diameter and still with crowns sufficiently thrifty to respond 

 with a material increase in the rate of growth to openings which may be made 

 in the stand. 



Such stands may range up to 180 or 190 years in age where they have been 

 somewhat crowded in youth. 



Groups of young growth are of more or less frequent occurrence in natural 

 openings. 



Examples of stands of this class are found in the Jabez Doney sale area, on 

 Dry Gulch, in the Bernice district, and in the selection cuttings along American 

 Gulch, below the main flume, on the French Gulch sale area. 

 8. Immature stands: 



Usually under 120 years of age, but classified as young mainly because they 

 do not yet contain any considerable proportion of trees which will yield 8-inch 

 material. 



This class is further divided into — 



(a) Converter pole stands : 



Ordinarily from 80 to 120 years in age, but may range up to an age 

 of 160 years where the stand had its origin in overdense repro- 

 duction. 



There are usually present a few trees from 7 to 10 inches in diameter, 

 but most of the trees have a diameter of less than 8 inches. 



Usually there is no reproduction coming in under such stands. 



(b) Lagging stands: 



Such stands usually range in age from 50 to 80 years, but, due to 

 overdensity of reproduction, may be as old as 140 years. 



Occasionally there are a few trees from 6 to 8 inches in diameter, 

 but most of the trees are below 6 inches. 



