SYLVICULTURE. 



this result are far from being clearly understood. Still, it must be 

 the sylviculturist's aim to provide for these incidents, if he desires 

 to replace the old crop, removed at an unnatural rate of rapidity, at 

 an equally fast rate by an offspring resulting from self-sown seed. 



If the forester were satisfied to merely remove nature's mori- 

 bunds, then he might get along with a purely natural regeneration, 

 entirely unaided by human skill. 



As soon, however, as his axe creates in the forest an unnatural 

 death rate, the forester is compelled to also secure, by intelligent 

 means, a supernatural rate of birth. 



Human aid to natural regeneration should be denied where: 



a. The danger from forest fire is such as to render investments 

 in second growth very imsafe. 



b. An outlay incurred for protection from fire is not apt to be 

 refunded with interest by the value of the second growth. 



That much aid, and that much money should be, in all other 

 cases, spent for the pui-pose of regeneration as promises, in the 

 owner's mind and according to the forester's forecast, the highest 

 relative revenue on the investments made. 



At Biltmore, 10% of the annual gross receipts are annually re- 

 invested, to be applied to natural regeneration of the forest. 



Sylviculture and finance are continuously at loggerheads. From 

 the business standpoint, however, that Sylviculture is certainly best 

 which proves lastingly most remunerative. 



Where and as long as the prospective value of seedlings is 

 small, only a small expense can be reasonably incurred on behalf of 

 their propogation. 



Again, seedlings are more endangered by fire than trees. Where, 

 and as long as the danger from fire prevails in the forests of the 

 United States, investments made for raising seedlings are so risky 

 as to be inadvisable. 



Paragraph XL. Age of trees fit for natural seed regeneration 

 (Enesar). 



The age of perfect puberty depends on species, density of stand, 

 quality of soil and climatic conditions. Generally speaking, it lies 

 about the eightieth year of the trees. 



Birch, Alder, Larch and Yellow Pines may be seed-regenerated 

 from their twenty-fifth to thirtieth year on; Oaks, Beeches and 

 Firs from their sixtieth to eightieth year on. Trees of very old 

 age, say over 200 years old, have poor seeds and often defy natural 

 regeneration if occurring in pure, even-aged stands. 



90 



