42 



A PRIMER OF FORESTRY 



trees of different diameters will be left per acre after 

 the first cuttino-. and how fast these rouno- trees dtow. 

 Finally, it estimates the future return in money, taking 

 into account the taxes, interest, and other expenses on 

 one side, and the future crop on the other. In order to 



make this estimate 

 entirely safe, it is 

 usually based on the 

 present price of 

 stumpage. although 

 its future value will 

 certainly be much 

 higher. 



FELLING THE TREES, 



The difference be- 

 tween the practical 

 work under ordinary 

 lumbering and under 

 conservative lumber- 

 ing is chiefly in the 

 selection of the trees 

 to cut. in felling 

 them, and in the first 

 part of their journey 

 from the stump to 

 the mill. Under a working plan the trees to cut are 

 chosen in such a way that when they are gone the for- 

 est will suffer but little from their absence, because 

 their places will be taken by others as quickly as pos- 

 sible. Usually the trees selected are first stamped 

 with a marking hatchet to prevent mistakes, and then 

 the next step is to cut them down. 







Fig. 24. — Government forester marking trees 

 to cut. Adirondack Mountains. X. Y. 



