second-growth stands and recently cut-over stands 

 containing a large proportion of cull trees and 

 residual trees of inferior quality or species. These 

 trees of little worth at present are also in many 

 cases slow-growing and take up growing space that 

 might be occupied more profitably by young, 

 rapidly growing crop trees. 



The supply of timber of quality, species, and 

 stand per acre now actually being utilized in the 

 manufacture of industrial lumber, veneer, and 

 cooperage stock constitutes 20 to 25 percent of 

 the total standing saw-timber volume, and it is 

 being cut probably between three and four times 

 as fast as it is being grown. 



The board-foot volume of material unsuited, ac- 

 cording to present practices, for the manufacture 

 of high-grade commodities is now increasing about 

 twice as rapidly as it is being used, and the rate 

 of increase undoubtedly will be accelerated in the 

 future. This accretion of saw timber unsuitable 

 for present use by forest industries requiring high- 

 quality timber is building up a reserve resource of 

 steadily improving quality to supply the forest 

 industries of the future. 



To utilize this resource fully, wood-using indus- 

 tries must in the future adapt their requirements 

 for raw material to a smaller proportion of high- 

 quality timber, and must develop a larger market 

 (1) for species not generally used at present, (2) 

 for lower grades of lumber (probably as small di- 

 mension and structural material), (3) for lower 

 grades of cooperage stock, (4) for box and crate 

 material including package veneer, and (5) for 

 round material in such products as pulpwood, 

 chemical wood, and posts. 



Therefore, the major forestry problem of this 

 unit is twofold: (1) To bring the timber growth 

 (particularly of high-quality timber) and timber 

 drain into balance at a level of production com- 

 mensurate with the productive ability of the area, 

 and (2) to develop markets and manufacturing 

 methods that will permit the utilization of timber 

 of low quality and of species not now being fully 



utilized. 



CONCLUSIONS 



The solution of this forestry problein involves: 



1. The improvement in conditions affecting 



forest growth through removal of suppressed trees 



from crowded young stands, and of cull trees and 



trees of inferior quality from all stands. This can 



be accomplished, in part, by a change in the prac- 

 tices used in cutting wood for farm and other do- 

 mestic use. It is estimated that more than half 

 of the total timber cut at present for domestic use 

 is taken from immature trees that otherwise would 

 develop into an industrial resource. Farm fuel 

 wood, fence posts, and similar material should, 

 therefore, be taken from low-quality residual trees, 

 from cull timber, and froin thinnings. 



2. The improvement in silvicultural conditions 

 through protection of the forest from fire. Despite 

 popular belief to the contrary, forest fires sub- 

 stantially reduce the volume of high-quality indus- 

 trial hardwood timber and the productivity of 

 hardwood forests. To reduce fire losses. Federal 

 and State cooperation in forest-fire prevention and 

 control should be extended to this unit. 



3. The conservation of the present resources of 

 high-quality timber through (a) partial cuttings 

 which remove, at a relatively low unit logging cost, 

 the large, ripe, or mature timber and leave a sub- 

 stantial growing stock of thrifty high-quality second- 

 growth trees mostly under 30 inches in diameter and 

 (b) full and most economic use of the trees cut, by 

 converting all logs into the product for which they 

 are best suited. 



4. An adequate program of forest research. Stud- 

 ies to determine rates of hardwood timber growth, 

 the best systems of hardwood forest management, 

 and improved methods of logging, should be ini- 

 tiated without delay. Demonstration areas should 

 be established where the results of these improved 

 practices can be illustrated. Forest-products re- 

 search should be expanded as the first step in de- 

 veloping markets for timber not commonly used 

 because of species or quality. 



5. A program of forestry education. There is a 

 definite need for forestry extension work among the 

 hardwood timber operators and timberland owners 

 to promote an understanding of the opportunities 

 as well as the methods of forest management for 

 timber growth. This work can well be undertaken 

 by the foresters of lumber associations and other 

 trade associations and by consulting foresters, as 

 well as by State and Federal forestry organizations. 



6. The reduction and stabilization of forest-land 

 taxes. 



7. State and Federal forest ownership, where 

 private forestry practice cannot be expected to suc- 

 ceed. Large-scale private timber growing is most 



