stock in good trees. This basal area is the aggregate 

 cross-section area of the stems at breast height. It 

 does not include the basal area of cull trees, which 

 is estimated to be as much as 25 to 30 percent of 

 the basal area in good trees. 



Figure 11, B, shows the attainable optimum 

 basal-area distribution per acre of bottom-land 

 hardwood forest in the proportions indicated by 

 European experience in forest management as 

 giving the greatest sustained yield under a selective 

 system of management; it represents the averages 

 of areas recently cut over as well as those about to 

 be cut. Comparison of A and B indicates that (1) 

 in 1934 stands of the unit contained only about 

 two-thirds of the optimum basal area, (2) the most 

 serious shortage was in the diameter classes between 

 16 and 32 inches, (3) there was no general shortage 

 in the diameter classes from 2 to 12 inches, and (4) 

 there was an excess of timber in trees above 40 

 inches in diameter owing to a relatively large 

 amount of uncut old-growth timber in the area. 

 This comparison emphasizes the poor condition of 

 the stands, which, if no remedial steps are taken, 

 will continue to deteriorate for some time to come 

 with respect to the distribution of trees among the 

 diameter classes. There is need for a definite 

 course of action to increase the production of these 

 stands and eventually to approach closely the 

 attainable optimum distribution. Specific recom- 

 mendations for improving the stands will be given 

 on later pages. These recommendations will not 

 be unduly difficult to put into effect. As a matter 

 of fact, the commercial timber area in the survey 

 unit constitutes a substantial nucleus that already, 

 without conscious effort on the part of its owners, 

 approximates this optimum. 



Figure 11, C, shows the distribution of growing 

 stock on the commercial forest areas of the survey 

 unit. In comparison with figure 11, B, the most 

 notable difference is in the excess of large timber 

 on the commercial areas. In most cases the re- 

 moval of some part of this large timber will actually 

 increase the growth rate of the remainder and place 

 the forest in a better growing condition. Owing to 

 the large number of ownerships and the many 

 diverse economic circumstances, it is not to be ex- 

 pected that the entire forest area in tne unit will be 

 brought up to optimum production for a long time, 

 if ever. There are many areas, however, that 

 easily can be improved now, and for many others 



improvement will become possible as economic 

 conditions improve. 



Forest Industries 



From the preceding pages it is apparent that the 

 industrial organization and practices in this survey 

 unit are adjusted neither to the quantity nor to the 

 quality of the forest growing stock. There are more 

 large plants than can continue to exist on the incre- 

 ment of the growing stock. In 1934, 27 sawmills 

 with a daily capacity of more than 20,000 board 

 feet were operating in or near the unit wholly or in 

 part from timber produced within the unit. Eight 

 of these mills, accounting for approximately 50 

 percent of the total timber cut for lumber produc- 

 tion from the unit in 1934, were operating in large 

 blocks of timber and probably will cease operation 

 \vhen their present timber holdings are cut. Five 

 or six of these planned to operate on their holdings 

 for 6 to 10 years. Two or three expected to "cut 

 out" within 2 or 3 years. These latter perhaps have 

 no alternative but to liquidate at the earliest possible 

 date. The other 19 industrial lumber mills cutting 

 from the unit were either supplementing their cut 

 from their own holdings by purchases of logs and 

 timber or were operating entirely on purchased 

 material and, in the main, may be expected to 

 continue indefinitely. 



In 1934, there were 28 nonlumber industrial 

 plants operating on high-grade material from the 

 forests of the unit. The operators of these plants 

 tisually purchase logs and small tracts of timber 

 over a wide territory wherever suitable supplies are 

 available. On account of the relatively large sup- 

 ply of suitable raw material thus distributed, prob- 

 ably most of these operators can expect to continue 

 their operations indefinitely. On the other hand, 

 there is no good reason at this time to expect a 

 material increase in the total number of these 

 plants. 



From the balance between increment and drain 

 at the 1934 rate of cutting, it would appear that the 

 existing lumber, veneer, and cooperage plants 

 would have a probable life of approximately 15 

 years; but it is known that the 1934 rate of cutting 

 will not continue and that other pertinent factors 

 also will change. For example, the reduction in 

 number of the large lumber mills mentioned above, 

 together with the resulting improvement in accre- 



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