34 CONSERVATIVE LUMBERING AT SEWANEE, TENN. 



A separate contract was made with the same rnan for logging the 

 plateau, containing the same rules, with this additional rule, that 

 ''such White Oak and Chestnut Oak trees and parts of trees that will 

 not yield sawlogs shall lie cut into as many railroad ties as possible." 



An arrangement for the sale of the logs was then made between the 

 University and a millman of Tullahoma, who put up a sawmill at 

 Sewanee.* (PI. XL) 



In the fall and winter of 1900-1901 Block I was lumbered according 

 to contract, and over 656,000 board feet of timber were removed. 

 (PI. XII.) The net profits of the first year's work were about $2,000. 



The second year's logging was made under practically the same con- 

 tracts as those of the first year, except that Block II was more difficult 

 to log and therefore more expensive. About 175,000 board feet of 

 timber were lumbered. The profits amounted to about $1,200. 



Four blocks remain to be lumbered. Estimating future profits from 

 what has already been accomplished, it seems safe to say that the 

 whole forest when logged will have yielded $6,500 to §7,000 above 

 expenses. 



Small economies practiced in the lumbering made a surprising 

 increase in the profits. Thousands of board feet of lumber were 

 saved, which, with the kind of logging formerly practiced at Sewanee. 

 would have gone to waste. The trees were cut about a foot lower at 

 the stump than ordinarily, and this, combined with the practice applied 

 of cutting high into the crown, made a saving of about 200 feet on 

 every 1,000 feet. 



Much was saved by arranging the log lengths so as to get the most 

 out of the trees. Formerly many short logs were left in the woods 

 containing 1 timber that mig-ht have been used had the merchantable 

 part of the trees been divided properly. 



Under former log-o-ino- methods no timber was taken above the place 

 where the tree branches. By the new system sawlogs were often 

 obtained from the large branches. 



Trees that had been blown down but were still available for lumber- 

 were used. The former practice at Sewanee was to leave such trees. 



On the plateau sawlogs were taken from the butts of trees, while 

 the upper logs were used for ties and the tops and branches for fire- 

 wood. 



All the conditions of his contract were f aithf ully observed by the log- 

 ging contractor, whose men soon acquired considerable skill in cutting 

 low stumps and in felling trees so as not to harm the young growth. 



The task of marking trees for cutting was performed by the Bureau's 

 employees with careful regard for the conditions in each part of the 

 forest. Many seed trees of the valuable species were left that would 

 ordinarily have been removed. In leaving seed trees, advantage was 

 often taken of defects that rendered them less valuable for lumber. 



