Figure 9. — Log yard of an industrial I umber mill, showing the general class of logs removed Jrom old-growth timber. Madison Parish, La. 



volume of logs moved out of the unit is transported 

 in this way. Logs are generally moved to the 

 riverbanks by the same means used in moving logs 

 to the common carrier. Once on the river, they 

 may be rafted or barged as far as 100 to 150 miles 

 to the mill. 



In general, industrial lumber mills do not cut 

 trees smaller than 1 8 to 20 inches in diameter (fig. 

 9). Only the higher quality trees of the standard 

 commercial species are cut in the diameter classes 

 between 20 and 28 inches. In trees more than 30 

 inches in diameter, practically all clean, sound 

 stems of the more valuable species are cut, while in 

 the less desirable species only the very best trees 

 are cut. At worst, this kind of partial cutting leaves 

 the woods in a satisfactory condition for reproduc- 

 tion; more often industrial lumber-mill cuttings 

 leave a partial stand of thrifty young sawlog-size 

 trees, which in 15 to 25 years will grow into size 

 and quality that will justify a second cut for indus- 

 trial lumber. 



Monlumber Industries 



Although the other forest industries used only 

 about 60 percent as much wood from the forests of 

 the unit as the lumber industry, they supplied more 



than half again as much employment. Further- 

 more, these nonlumber industries are particularly 

 significant because of the likelihood of their expan- 

 sion as stands cut over in lumber production be- 

 come available for stave cuttings, veneer cuttings, 

 etc. Table 14 shows the production and employ- 

 ment of the nonlumber industries. 



The nonlumber industries supplied more than 

 450,000 man-days of labor in the woods and 

 mill in 1934. On the basis of 200 working 

 days per year, these industries provided the 

 equivalent of full-time employment for about 2,250 

 persons. 



It is estimated that a gross volume of about 

 270,000 cords of wood is drawn from the forest for 

 fuel and other home uses. Probably not more than 

 10 percent of this enters into trade, but its produc- 

 tion and use are nevertheless important factors in 

 the local economic life of the people. The material 

 thus obtained, without cash outlay and without 

 interference in normal gainful employment, is a 

 substitute for material that would otherwise have 

 to be purchased. One way of expressing the im- 

 portance of this material is in terms of the labor 

 necessary in its cutting and transportation; for the 

 unit as a whole this amounts to approximately 

 350,000 to 400,000 man-days. 



29 



