122 THE COPPICE METHOD 



the short rotation used and holds true particularly for the 

 very low rotations. 



2. Although the wood produced is of comparatively small 

 size and poor quahty, the net return on the investment is 

 relatively high, due primarily to the short rotation and the 

 small amount of capital invested. 



3. The period of most rapid growth (i.e., early youth) is 

 taken advantage of by cutting the stand when this period is 

 past and starting a new crop. Hence the amount of wood 

 produced per year should be greater than under high forest 

 methods. The fact that sprouts grow faster in early life 

 than trees originating from seed supports this theory. 



Short coppice rotations, while including the period of most 

 rapid growth so far as low grade products such as cordwood 

 are concerned, are not long enough to grow large amounts of 

 better grade products like lumber. Therefore the advantage 

 of faster growth under the coppice method is true only for 

 products of small size. 



4. Subject to comparatively few injuries; because the trees 

 are still young and vigorous at the end of the rotation. Those 

 which may occur can be made good with less sacrifice than 

 under methods which require longer rotations. 



5. The securing of reproduction by sprouts is simple and 

 certain as compared with reproduction from the seed. 



Disadvantages. — i. Requires that lower grade products 

 such as cordwood be salable. For intensive application on 

 rotations of less than fifteen years it is necessary that a 

 market exist for very small sized material. Except under 

 the polewood coppice method lumber forms only a small 

 percentage of the yield. 



2. Coppice is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of the 

 public welfare because: 



(a) It fails to provide the lumber needed in the industries. 



