The Bureau of the Census reported that the volume 

 of forest products sold from farms in the region in 

 1939 amounted to 1253,469. Sales probably have 

 been larger during recent years because of war- 

 stimulated cutting and higher prices. Many farmers 

 earn additional income during periods when farm 



work is slack by logging or milling. Even now, 

 farmers could realize more from their woodlands 

 than they do, by performing more of the woods work 

 themselves. Improvement of the farm woodlands 

 could lead to a considerable increase in income from 

 forest products. 



THE PRESENT FOREST SITUATION 



Condition oj the Forests 



The forests as a whole are in better condition than 

 the areas in the immediate vicinity of the coal fields 

 and in some parts of the Pocono Plateau would in- 

 dicate. Their condition, however, is far from satis- 

 factory. Even after 40 years of effort to improve this 

 condition, less than one-quarter of the forest is in 

 merchantable 10 stands (fig. 20). 



Unmerchantable Stands 



The unmerchantable forest is not a mere desolation. 

 Some of it is in saw-timber or pole-timber stands of 

 less than 10 acres, but usually too isolated for profit- 



able operation. A large proportion is in fairly well 

 stocked young growth of commercial species. The 



10 Merchantability in the Anthracite Forest Region is largely 

 dependent on the demand for mine timbers. Under present 

 market conditions, operators will cut into stands of 10 acres 

 or more which have as little as 5 cords per acre in trees 5.0 

 inches and larger in diameter. Merchantable saw-timber 

 stands are those 10 acres or larger which have at least 2,000 

 board feet lumber tally in softwood trees 9.0 inches and larger 

 in diameter, and hardwood trees 11.0 inches and larger. The 

 remaining areas which meet the minimum standard for mine- 

 timber operation have been classed as merchantable pole- 

 timber stands. Unmerchantable stands include seedling, 

 sapling, and denuded areas; and saw-timber and pole-timber 

 stands of less than 10 acres, whether isolated tracts or parts of 

 larger forest areas. 



MERCHANTABLE 



foflfftfft 



SCRUB OAK 

 AND ASPEN- 

 GRAY BIRCH- 

 PIN CHERRY 



10% 



iMimmfifiM <m$ 



YOUNG GROWTH 



49% 



MINE -TIMBER a 

 SAW-TIMBER 

 STANDS LESS 

 THAN 10 ACRES 



20 



UNMERCHANTABLE 



Figure 20. — Less than one-quarter of the stands are merchantable. 



Miscellaneous Publication 648, U. S. Department of Agriculture 



