6 Miscellaneous Circular h8, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture 



but no one may hold it for speculative purposes or attempt to build 

 up a monopoly through such purchase. In choosing timber which is 

 to be sold, several points are taken into consideration. The aim of 

 the Forest Service is to maintain a constant supply, available for 

 the future as well as for the present. Much of the timber in the 

 national forests of Montana is in a stage where growth is at a stand- 

 still, or the annual increase in volume is so slight as to be negligible. 

 The mature trees should be cut so that the younger and more thrifty 

 trees may have room to grow and seedlings may start. 



The buyer of national- forest timber is required to observe certain 

 rules of cutting, designed to insure a future forest. There must be 

 young trees to replace those cut, and these trees must be given op- 



Fig. 4. — Lumber yard of a mill cutting national forest timber 



portunity to survive by being protected from fire. Trees for future 

 growth, especially thrifty young trees which will grow rapidly, and 

 trees for protection of watersheds, to maintain forest cover and to 

 produce seed must be left. Logging must be carried on in such a 

 way as to damage as little as possible the young trees and seedlings 

 that are left, and slash must be disposed of by piling and burn- 

 ing so as not to injure the remaining trees. 



Many stands are composed of several species, some of more value 

 than others. To make certain that the less valuable species will 

 not predominate in the future forest is a problem which must be 

 met. The methods used in handling timber sales aim directly at 

 this result. The fewest possible restrictions are imposed upon pur- 

 chasers of timber, however, and it is the desire of the Forest Service 



