BALSAM FIR. 



57 



YIELD. 



ON SMALL SAMPLE AREAS. 



The yield of balsam fir fluctuates withui wide limits. Since it 

 grows with spruce and other species, its yield naturally depends upon 

 the degree of admixture. An idea of what can be expected from 

 balsam fir may best be formed from pure stands in the swamps or 

 flats. For New York a good average for large flats, cutting for pulp 

 to 7 inches diameter breast high, is 15 cords to the acre. Exceptional 

 areas have cut as high as 40 cords. In swamps, while the stands are 

 usually dense, the individual trees are of small size, and the yield per 

 acre on the whole is smaller than on the flats. Ten cords to the acre 

 may be considered a good average. On the hardwood slope the yield 

 varies more than for any other type; on an average it runs about 7 

 cords to the acre. 



In Maine the yield runs much higher than in New York. Pure 

 stands of balsam fir on flats will yield, as a general rule, about 25 

 cords to the acre and occasionally as high as 30 cords for stands from 

 70 to 100 years old. On the hardwood slope the yield is only half 

 of that on the flat, about 12.5 cords to the acre. 



Tables 46 and 47 give the results of actual measurements of yield 

 in the Adirondacks and m Maine. 



Table 46.- 



Yield of balsam fir in New York, based on 10 sample plots, covering an area 

 of 9 acres. 



SWAMP. 



Average age of merchantable stand (years). 



Total yield per 

 acre. 



Average 

 number of 

 merchant- 

 able trees 



per acre. 



Mean annual 



increment per 



acre. 



80 



Cubic feet. 

 922 



Cords. 

 10.2 



88 



Cubicfeet. 

 11.5 



Cords, 

 i 





FLAT. 



90 



1,270 

 1,312 

 1,443 



13.2 

 15.3 

 15.0 



102 

 110 

 140 



14.1 

 14.6 

 16.0 





90 



X 



90 - ..-. 



i 





Average 







1,342 



14.4 



117 



14.9 



J 









HARDWOOD SLOPE. 



Average . 



444 



4.6 



36 



6.3 



685 



7.1 



60 



9.8 



760 



8.0 



49 



10.9 



713 



7.7 



55 



8.9 



607 



6.4 



46 



8.7 



928 



9.7 



86 



13.3 



690 



7.3 



55 



9.6 



A 



