FORESTRY COMMISSION. 51 



REPORT ON AN EXAMINATION OP THE WOODLOT OF MR. P. P. MAJOR, 

 THREE RIVERS, ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, MICHIGAN. 



BY JtJDSON r. CLAEK. 



Wish of Owner. 



Mr. Major wishes to know what may be done to improve the condition of his 

 woodlot. No immediate returns other than a small amount of firewood each year 

 are especially required, and he is willing to go to some expense if necessary to 

 put the less satisfactory portions in better producing condition. 



General. 



There is an excellent opportunity to greatly improve the present condition of 

 the stand on this woodlot by the removal of the old, decrepit, and defective trees 

 which are scattered almost everywhere over the area. The decay of these old trees 

 offsets the growth of younger trees, and they are exceedingly injurious to those 

 over which they stand. The value of the cordwood in them would leave a very 

 satisfactory profit after paying the cost of the improvement cutting. 



The vigor of the stand will be greatly improved, and reproduction aided by 

 the exclusion of the sheep which are grazed on the neighboring pasture, and 

 which have for many years been allowed the run of the woodlot. Reproduction 

 is needed to fill the gaps in the stand and to provide a satisfactory ground cover. 



Planting must be done to fill up some of the larger gaps in the stand and to 

 provide a windbreak along the western border. 



Details regarding these measures and other matters will be found below. 



Location and Area. 



This woodlot is located in Fabius township, St. Joseph county, Michigan, about 

 Ave miles northwest of Three Rivers station, on the Lake Shore & Michigan South- 

 •ern, and Michigan Central Railways. 



The area is about 80 acres. 



Topography. 



The topography is quite rolling, the tract being a portion of a very irregular 

 terminal moraine. The slopes vary from gentle to quite steep. The danger of 

 serious erosion is such as to make the area unsuited for agricultural purposes. 



Soil. 



The soil varies in different parts from a sandy loam to a loam. It is everywhere 

 deep, and on most parts contains more or less gravel. It is estimated that the 

 normal annual production on the average acre does not exceed 60 cubic feet of hard- 

 wood, such as oak, per acre (two-thirds of a cord of four-foot wood, or two cords 

 ■of le'-inch stovewood). There are small areas in different parts, especially on 

 the lower and more gentle slopes, where the normal annual production would 

 probably reach 90 cubic feet per acre. The present average production is, how- 

 ever, not more than two-thirds of what it should be. This is due to three causes: 

 (1) The presence of many defective trees whose decay largely offsets new growth; 

 .(2) the facts that in many parts the number of trees is insufficient to fully occupy 



