278 



FOREST PRODUCTS 



In the prominent tie-producing sections of Kentucky and West Vir- 

 ginia, well-located white oak stumpage involving a haul of from i to 6 

 miles was worth from lo to 20 cents per tie. Many sales have been 

 made for about 16 cents or more. Southern yellow pine stumpage is 

 worth from 6 to 14 cents with an average of about 10 cents. 



Douglas fir and western larch stumpage brought from 4 to 10 cents 

 per tie; western pine from 4 to 8 cents per tie. 



Red oak and chestnut stumpage brought from 8 to 15 cents per tie, 

 depending upon quality and location. 



Hardwood ties, such as beech, birch, maple, elm and red gum were 

 worth, on the stump, from 5 to 1 2 cents apiece. 



Suitable Sized Timber for Hewing. 



The best sized trees from which ties are made by hewing are those 

 from II to 15 in. in diameter at breast height, although trees from 10 to 17 

 in. are customarily taken. 



Lodgepole pine, as it grows throughout the northern Rocky Moun- 

 tains, is naturally most suitable in size for hewing into ties since most 

 of the merchantable stands of this timber contain from 75 to 200 trees, 

 10 to 16 in. in diameter. They are tall and straight and free from exces- 

 sive taper. 



Hewed ties seldom conform to the dimensions specified by the rail- 

 roads, other than length. As a general rule, tie inspectors do not care 

 how large the ties are, as long as they are at least large enough to meet the 

 specifications. Therefore tie cutters prefer those trees which will yield 

 No. I ties with the least effort on their part. 



In investigating the average number of ties that can be cut from 

 trees of different diameters, Zon has prepared the following table ^ 

 as a result of measuring 996 loblolly pine and hardwood ties in eastern 

 Texas : 



' See " Loblolly Pine in Eastern Texas," by R. Zon. Forest Service Bulletin No. 64, 

 1905. P- 36. 



