Report of the Forest Commission. 195 



rate of growth due to the interlucation resulting from a previous 

 thinning of the trees ; nor in any great degree to the natural 

 increase in size during the intervals. 



These successive crops of spruce were due for the most part to 

 other reasons. In the first cutting only the larger and easily 

 accessible trees were taken. Large trees were often left because 

 it did not pay to cut roads to them, the roads being confined to 

 the areas on which the timber grew thickly. In the second cut- 

 ting roads were extended into these areas of scattered spruces, 

 some slight increase in market price warranting this additional 

 expense. The large trees left at the first cutting were then taken 

 out, together with many others which had become large enough 

 through this additional period of growth. The third cutting 

 becomes feasible 25 years later by reason of increased market 

 values, improved means of access, and the demand for pulpwood 

 — the latter demand alone making it profitable in many instances 

 to cut over an old tract where the sawing timber by itself would 

 not yield enough to pay the expense of "lumbering" it. Of 

 course, the younger spruces increase in size during the intervals 

 between operations, and at each return the axeman finds some 

 trees large enough for saw-logs which previously were too small. 

 But too much stress has been laid on this factor in the question, 

 while too many other and important points have been ignored. 



Assuming that our spruce forests are to be managed, for a 

 period at least, under the well-recognized and accepted forestry 

 method known as that of " selection," we will waive the all- 

 important question of cutting for improvement, and turn to that 

 of cutting for revenue — for future and continuous revenue as 

 some of our well-intentioned forest owners are pleased to term it. 



This method, which for convenience may be termed cutting for 

 revenue, can not secure the desired result — that of the perpetual 

 maintenance of a merchantable species — unless the cutting is 

 confined to mature trees only. Nothing short of this will answer. 

 Now, it would be difficult to say just what diameter should be 

 assumed in defining a matured spruce. This is evident from the 

 figures in the preceding tables. Moreover, this diameter must 

 vary in different localities. Such diameter can not be ascertained, 

 if at all, until working plans covering a century of improve- 

 ment cutting, seeding or planting have been exploited. It would 

 be idle to discuss it here. 



