86 



BULLETIN 1105, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Second cut. — Whether or not suffi- 

 cient trees are being left to provide 

 for a second cut need not be con- 

 sidered. Marking as indicated above 

 contemplates that all vigorously grow- 

 ing blackjacks and intermediate trees 

 will be left except where thinnings 

 are desirable or where they are badly 

 defective, diseased, or insect infested, 

 as indicated later in this memoran- 

 dum. A second cut will be merely in- 

 cidental to marking on this basis and 

 will be determined by future market 

 conditions. 



packed and the herbaceous cover de- 

 stroyed by overgrazing. Wherever 

 the soil remains, however, overgrazing 

 usually leaves a considerable amount 

 of plant cover in the form of un- 

 palatable weeds and shrubs. Clumps 

 of rabbit brush, pingue, sage, and 

 coarse bunch grass, if not so dense 

 as to create excessive root competi- 

 tion, assist pine seedlings in getting 

 started, and their shade is not suffi- 

 cient to interfere seriously with later 

 development. Wherever a normal 

 soil layer is present, and there is even 

 a scattering ground cover, the leaving 

 of trees beyond the needs for seed 

 production and protection against ex- 

 treme wind will retard rather than 

 promote yellow pine reproduction. 

 This applies even more to dry than 

 to moist sites, where drought is not 

 due to lack of soil. 



It is contemplated that the trees 

 left for reproductive purposes will 

 form the basis for another logging 

 operation in from 50 to 100 years. 

 For this reason it is desirable to leave 

 relatively young trees which while 

 they are producing seed will also in- 

 crease in volume. As far as possible, 

 the leaving of overmature trees which 

 are almost sure to be lost before an- 

 other cutting can be made, is to be 

 avoided. The possibility of a second 

 cutting is contingent upon there being 

 a sufficient volume of timber on the 

 ground within 50 to 100 years to make 

 logging economically feasible. The 

 point which the instructions evidently 

 aim to convey is that trees which be- 

 cause of maturity or other circum- 

 stances can not be expected to con- 

 tribute substantially to the increment 

 of the stand, should not be left for 

 the purpose of providing for a second 

 cut unless they are needed for repro- 

 ductive purposes ; that is, the produc- 

 tion of seed, and in some cases wind 

 protection. Aside from the risk of 

 total loss by death, it is clearly poor 

 business to allow trees of this char- 

 acter to occupy space which can be 

 used to much better advantage by 



