other cull agents, treqiiently equal or exceed net 

 gro^\•th. On some pre\ioiisIy cut-o\er areas, now- 

 classified as restocking or pole-timber areas, enongh 

 cull trees, and large spreading wolf trees of poor 

 quality have been left to interfere appreciably Avith 

 the normal development of the young timber on 

 the land. 



Tablk 19.— Estimated au/iual mortality iji tin- Lake stales 

 region, from suppression, fire, and natural enemies, b\ 

 stand class 





All timber 



S 



aw timb 



er 



Stand class 



All 

 species 



Soft- 

 wood 



Hard- 

 wood 



Al 

 species 



Soft- 

 wood 



Hard- 

 wood 





Aliilioji 



Million 



Million 



Million 



Million 



Million 





cubic 



cubic 



cubic 



cubic 



cubic 



cubic 





jeet 



ieet 



feel 



jen 



feel 



feet 



T.argp saw fimher 



60 



10 



50 



150 



30 



120 



Small saw timber _ 



150 



35 



115 



350 



100 



250 



Pole timber _ _ 



290 



60 



230 



400 



^00 



200 



Seedlings and saplings, and 















poorly stocked and de- 















fnre<:red 



200 



55 



145 



100 



20 



80 





700 



160 



540 



1,000 



350 



650 







Forest Fires 



Fires, although much less destructive than a few 

 decades ago, still are a factor in retarding current 

 growth. 



P"rom 1870 to 1930, the region had a tragic record 

 including loss of many billions of feet of standing 

 timber and more than 2.800 himian lives. Shocked 

 by these losses, and stimidated by Federal aid under 

 the Weeks Law of 1911. and the Clarke-McNary 

 Law of 1924, the three States established jDiotective 

 systems which have developed to be among the best 

 in the country. During the 10-year period, 1938-47, 

 the acreage burned annually was held to an average 

 of 94,232 acres or less than two-tenths of 1 percent 

 of the area protected. During 1948, a somewhat 

 worse than average fire year, the burned area in- 

 creased to 150,000 acres. 



Insects and Diseases 



From the standpoint of mature timber, the region 

 has had relatively light losses from epidemic insect 

 or disease attack in recent years. Since the severe 

 attacks of the larch sawfly (Prisiipliora ericlisonii) 

 beginning about 1910, and the spruce budworm 

 (Archips fumiferana) a few years later, infestations 

 have been spotty and not loo serious. 



Defoliations of aspen by the forest tent caterpillar" 

 (Malacosoma disstria) have resulted in rather heavy 

 losses in that species. The hemlock borer (Melano- 

 phila fulvoguttata), the Saratoga spittle bug (Aphro- 

 phora saratogensis), the red-headed sa-\vfly (Xeo- 

 diprinn lecontei), \\'hite grub (PhyllopJiaga spp.), 

 and w-hite pine Aveevil (Pissodes strobi) all have 

 caused more or less damage to timber stands. 



Among the tree diseases, the white pine blister 

 rust (Cronartitim ribicola) has caused greatest con- 

 cern in this region. Blister rust control Avork has 

 been jDerformed on 75 percent of the Avhite pine area 

 in this region, but much of this area Avill need to be 

 reworked to insure safety of the species. 



Heart rot (Fomes igniarius) and stem canker (Hy- 

 poxylon pruinatnm) are inajor obstacles to develop- 

 ment of sawlog-size aspen {27). Heart rots in pine 

 (Fomes pini and Polyporiis schiveinitzii) cause heavy 

 losses Avhen stands are allo^ved to remain beyond 

 their prime. The oak wilt (Clialara qitercina) has 

 caused some damage in the southern part of the 

 region. 



Experts Avorking Avith these natural enemies be- 

 lieve that losses can be reduced considerably by (1) 

 research to develop better methods of control, (2) 

 a detection system to spot incipient outbreaks, and 

 (3) a control organization ready for prompt action. 

 Much can be done also by improved forest manage- 

 ment Avhich Avill raise the general health and vigor 

 of the stands. 



Other Losses 



The Lake States forests occasionally suffer severe 

 losses from Avind, sleet, drought, flooding, broAvsing, 

 etc. 



In 1932 a heavy Avind destroyed about 300.000 

 cords of jack pine and other timber on the Superior 

 National Forest. A storm in 1940 felled some 30 

 million feet of pine on the ChippeAva National 

 Forest. Three storms in the period 1933-36 bleAV 

 doAvn 80 million boaid feet of hemlock and other 

 timber on the Menominee Indian Reser\'ation in 

 Wisconsin. Fortunately a considerable portion of 

 such AvindbloAvn timljer has been salvaged for com- 

 mercial use. 



Sleet storms bring constant losses in volume and 

 quality of timber, and occasionally mutilate exten- 

 sive areas of young groAVth. Clianges in Avator 

 levels caused by bcaAer action. 1)\ iiulustrial activitv, 

 and sometimes bv climatic (luctuations, often seri- 

 ouslv damasrc tinil)ci stanils. Damage from wild 



28 



Forest Resource Report No. /, T. S. Depart inctil of Agruiilliire 



