WEEDING AND ROAD-BUILDING. 



PREMISES : Given a spruce forest in the Adirondacks, 

 containing 50,000 acres stocked with 4,000 feet b. m. per acre. The 

 forest is to be cut over at once in such a way as to reduce the 

 average stumpage to 1,200 feet b. m., which are expected to produce 

 thereafter 140 feet b. m. per acre per annum. Stumpage is worth 

 $1.50 per 1,000 feet b. m. Cuttings recur every 10 years. 



QUESTION : A : Is it advisable for the owner, to remove, by 

 way of an additional "weeding," the misshapen trees at an expense 

 of 50 cents per acre, if by so doing the annual production can be 

 raised from 140 feet to 175 feet b. m. per acre P 



B : Is it advisable for the owner to build the 

 skidding roads more solidly, at an expense of $10,000 so as to make 

 them available for future operations, and so as to be less depend- 

 ent on the snow-covering, if by so doing the logging expenses 

 per 1000 feet b. m. can be reduced by 5cts ? 



POINTS : A : The additional expense of 50 cents results 

 in producing, every ten years, an additional 350 feet b. m. worth 

 $2% cents. 



B: The additional expense of $10,000, reduces 

 the cost of logging, and hence increases the value of stumpage, 

 by Sets per 1000 feet. The first cut, therefore, of 50,000 x 2800 ^^ 

 140,000,000 feet b. m., gains $7,000 ; the subsequent cuttings, of 

 50,000 X 1750 = 87,500,000 feet b. m., gain $4,375. 



EQUATION : A : 0.50 = ^ °g_ ^ 



B: 10,000 = 7,000 -^ -^_ 



RESULT: The "weeding" as well as the solid construction 

 of roads are advisable, the former paying 7 per cent, and the latter 

 9^ per cent, interest on the additional outlay required. The advan- 

 tage derived is greater still, if stumpage prices are on the increase. 



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