TREATMENT OF THE COVES. 31 



trees are scarce on the upper slopes between Pinckney and Parson 

 branches. (PL IX, fig* 2.) 



Block III is mostly plateau land. The timber in Bowers and Millers 

 hollows might best go down hill to the Cowan road if the purchase of 

 the privilege to cross other property were not too expensive. All of 

 this timber will have to be drummed. The best plateau timber is in 

 Block III. This area has been comparatively free from grazing, fire, 

 and the ax, except around the Bennett place near Far Chalybeate 

 Spring. 



Block IV has been much cut over. Large quantities of timber have 

 been drummed out of Crownover and Rowark coves. Much of the 

 University's firewood comes from Block IV. 



Block V in its eastern part illustrates the result of logging as prac- 

 ticed at Sewanee. After thirty years the forest has not yet recovered. 

 It is badly burned and grazed every year, particularly east of the 

 Jasper road. Improvement cuttings are needed throughout the block. 



Block VI is the only one whose timber should not be taken to 

 Sewanee. Logging roads should be built along Wiggins Creek; the 

 timber should be snaked to them and thence hauled to Cowan. Prac- 

 tically all the Red Juniper on the Domain is in Block VI. Very little 

 of it, however, is merchantable. 



TREATMENT OF THE COVES. 



The plateau has been abused so long that it is not able to furnish 

 large profits and must be treated solely for its improvement. On the 

 other hand, the coves contain quantities of valuable timber ready for 

 the saw, much of which is overripe. It is desirable that this timber 

 be removed, not only because it is idle capital producing nothing, but 

 because its removal would increase the growth of younger trees which 

 it now suppresses. 



Ordinary lumbering would remove all the trees that could be taken 

 at a profit without regard to further crops. The land left after such 

 an operation would have no timber value. The best species removed, 

 the poor ones left would seed up the ground and the succeeding stands 

 would be practically worthless. By combining lumbering and forestry 

 many seed trees may be left and the land put in condition to grow 

 further crops, while the operations may be conducted with such a sav- 

 ing as to yield immediate returns almost equal to those of ordinary 

 lumbering. In a word, without curtailing seriously the immediate 

 profits of lumbering, it is possible to practice forestry in the coves. 



Definite rules covering the treatment of the Sewanee forest would 

 be impracticable. The problems presented are so numerous that no 

 general directions can be given to cover the treatment necessary on 

 the ground of so irregular and varied a forest. It will be necessary 

 for a forester to mark the trees to be cut, to superintend the logging, 



