2 BULLETIN 871, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



count of it. This leads to a distinct prejudice against the species 

 on the part of both the lumberman and the forester. The lumber- 

 man is naturally averse to handling a large quantity of practically 

 worthless material for which there is little or no market in order to 

 secure a small amount of valuable material, when the profit on the 

 more valuable product is not sufficient to carry adequately the entire 

 product. The forester sees a species of very little value, as attested 

 by the low stumpage rate, occupying space which might be given 

 over to surrounding species on which a much higher stumpage rate 

 could be realized. 



This prejudice, which has resulted in the classification of incense 

 cedar as an "inferior" species, is not based on any inherent quality 

 of the tree itself, for sound cedar wood, as has already been stated, 

 is quite valuable, finding a ready market; and the tree, on account of 

 its relatively high tolerance of shade, particularly during its earlier 

 life, is a valuable component of the mixed stand in which it occurs. 



Incense cedar is a thrifty, aggressive species, quite tolerant of shade, 

 and has a definite, permanent place in the forests of the Pacific coast. 

 Its aggressiveness makes it almost an impossibility to eradicate the 

 species entirely, and such an attempt would be highly inadvisable 

 and might result in unforeseen disastrous consequences resulting 

 from an artificial change in the composition of the stand. Greeley 

 (6, p. 112) and Meinecke (16, pp. 21-22) have specifically advised 

 against this. The lumberman, logging in types with incense cedar 

 represented, faces the necessity of handling a large quantity of almost 

 worthless timber, which if sound would be of high value. 



Since incense cedar probably can not be eliminated from the stand, 

 the problem presents itself of the proper treatment of an inferior 

 species which in time will undoubtedly become quite valuable. 

 Foresters and lumbermen are showing more and more interest in the 

 question, fully realizing that this species will always have to be 

 reckoned with. We must have exact, far-reaching studies not only 

 to handle properly and utilize the cedar at present, but to lay the foun- 

 dations for a rational system of silvicultural management for the 

 future. Production is inevitable; proper treatment must be evolved. 

 Consequently, the study on which this paper is based was under- 

 taken in an attempt to throw light on certain of the phases involved. 



TOTAL-LOSS FACTORS. 



Throughout American forestry literature dealing with regulation 

 and management are found statements in regard to individual com- 

 ponents of mixed stands to the effect that "in virgin forests incre- 

 ment equals decay," or sometimes "deterioration" is used in place 

 of "decay." Chapman (2, p. 317) and Meinecke (16, p. 3--4) have 

 shown this generalization to be of absolutely no value, since the as- 



