82 FOREST CONDITIONS IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA. 



damage. Guy chains may be fastened to stumps instead of to trees, 

 and the live trees saved from serious injury. 



Although much improvement has taken place in utilization in the 

 last few years, the injury to young growth still continues, because the 

 land owner does not realize that a thrifty forest cover adds considera- 

 bly to the value of a property. 



METHOD OF CUTTING TO SECURE REPRODUCTION. 



The recommendations given under this heading can be made effective 

 by the landowner only by providing that whoever cuts the timber, 

 whether it be a purchaser of stumpage or his own logging crew, shall 

 cut only such trees as he (the owner) or his agent have marked for 

 cutting. Otherwise, but little improvement can be expected. In mark- 

 ing trees for cutting a blaze should be put on the lowest possible part 

 of the stump, preferably on a projecting root or buttress, as well as 

 on the trunk. The object of the blaze on the root is so that the owner 

 can tell whether or not any unmarked trees have been cut. It is neces- 

 sary, after cutting the blaze, to stamp the wood with a hammer bearing 

 a design (the owner's initial will do) which can be made by the local 

 blacksmith. This stamp will make it difficult for the felling crew to 

 cut unmarked trees by imitating the owner's mark. The blaze on the 

 trunk need not be stamped, because its object is merely to enable the 

 man doing the marking to tell from a distance whether or not a tree 

 has already been marked, and, to a certain extent, to help the felling 

 crew. 



The following recommendations will give the owner an idea of the 

 general principles which should guide him in marking the trees to be 

 cut on each forest type. Although there will be variations in type 

 which it will be impossible to cover fully, yet an understanding of the 

 principles involved should enable the owner to figure out such prob- 

 lems for himself without difficulty. Before studying the recommenda- 

 tions for any one type it will be well to look up that type in "Forest 

 Distribution by Types" in order to be familiar with the tree and con- 

 ditions on the type. 



Spruce Forest. 



The spruce forest is composed almost entirely of spruce and balsam. 

 As noted under "Forest Distribution by Types," it occurs on the tops of 

 the mountains, and is of the utmost importance in holding moisture 

 and regulating the flow of streams. It would serve the interests of the 

 State better if kept as a protection forest and cut only lightly or not 

 at all. But since it is all privately owned, this is out .of the question. 

 The best that can be expected is that the owner will cut with as much 



