SELLING WOODLOT PRODUCTS ON MICHIGAN FARMS. 9 



"go back" very rapidly except when the process is already far advanced. 

 When the signs of decay are unmistakable, therefore, a postponement 

 ifof the cutting for a year or two can usually be made with safety, so as 

 to allow a poor market to "pick up," or in order to make further in- 

 quiries into the manner of disposal. Young, thrifty timber should be 

 held as long as possible. It should not be sold unless the money or the 

 land is urgently needed, or unless the owner is sure that an exceptional 

 price is being offered for it. There is little risk in holding good, sound, 

 young or medium-sized timber. It is yearly increasing in amount and 

 value; and if it is cut and sold too early, a sacrifice is involved. 



Woodlot sales may include the whole or the greater part of the stand, 

 or may take only selected trees here and there. In the former case, a 

 good market for each Mnd of material, including the cordwood, should 

 be found. The case mentioned on page 7 illustrates how several dif- 

 ferent markets can be found for the different trees in a given woodlot. 

 When only certain kinds of material are to be sold from the woodlot 

 and the rest of the timber is to be left standing, the owner should take 

 care not to injure the woodlot any more than is unavoidable through 

 haphazard selection of the trees to be taken out. Sometimes it is even 

 best not to permit the removal of all of the salable trees, Vhen to do 

 this would leave the stand ragged and would expose large patches of 

 soil to sun and drying winds. Before culling the woodlot, it is a good 

 plan for the farmer to consult the State Forester or some other person 

 experienced in this work, or to obtain suggestions from one of the many 

 publications relating to the care of forests. One such publication is 

 U. S. Department of Agriculture Farmers' Bulletin 711, "The Care and 

 Improvement of the Woodlot" by C. R. Tillotson, which can be obtained 

 free of charge on application to the Forester, Forest Service, Washing- 

 ton, D. 0. 



Assuming that the farmer does not own a portable mill and wishes 

 to secure the best possible return for his rough products, the steps which 

 he will take are (1) to size up the woodlot and determine the kinds, 

 quantities, and qualities of the salable trees; (2) to choose the markets 

 which, considering prices and costs of shipping, will give the best re- 

 turns for the material ; and (3) to arrange for and conduct the sale. 



Sizing up the Woodlot 



Every woodlot owner should have a good general idea of what he has 

 in his woodlot, whether he intends to sell it at once or not. In writing 

 to dealers for bids or in advertising timber for sale, it is necessary to 

 state what the kinds are, and in general the amounts, sizes, and quali- 

 ties of each kind. This information should be explicit as to the number 

 and size of each form of product, such as logs, poles, piling, cross-ties, 

 bolts, cordwood, etc. A general idea of the quality of the product should 

 also be given; this is especially important where the timber is fit for 

 veneer, quarter-sawing, or other high grade uses. 



The units in iiich timber is usually estimated are the board foot, 

 the cord, and the piece. It is not hard to tell how much a tree contains 

 of the products sold by the piece ; but where logs are to be sold by board 

 measure their contents, especially in the standing tree, are more diflS- 

 ■mlt to estimate. Furthermore, it is hard to tell how much to deduct 

 ■rom the contents and quality of logs for hidden defects. If the timber 



