I 



NORTHERN 

 INDIANA 



SOUTHERN 

 INDIANA 



^ \ 



i^ 



LOG GRADE I 



LOG GRADE 2 



LOG GRADE 3 



Figure 19. — Comparison oj sawtimber volume in northern and 

 southern Indiana by log grades. 



Thirty-nine percent of the low-quahty volume is 

 in 12- and 14-inch trees. By survey standards these 

 trees can be low quality because of size alone, and 

 many will improve in quality as they grow larger. 

 However, 44 percent of the low-quality volume is in 

 trees 18 inches d. b. h. and larger. Some of this low- 

 quality volume, of course, is in the upper logs of other- 

 wise high-quality trees. On the other hand, there 

 are many large, poorly formed trees that will never 

 improve in quality. It would be good practice to 

 cut these trees as soon as possible to increase the 

 growth of smaller, potentially high-quality trees, and 

 make way for reproduction. 



About 1 of every 6 sawtimber-size trees is a cull. 

 Eighty percent of the culls are in southern Indiana. 

 Most of the forest fires occur in this part of the State 

 and greatly affect the condition of the timber. Al- 

 though cull trees are not considered merchantable, 

 they are estimated to contain 534 million cubic feet 

 of sound wood (including tops and limbs) — about 

 130 cubic feet per forest acre. This wood is suitable 

 for some uses, but the cost of harvesting it is usually 

 too great. The gross volume of rotten cull trees is 

 558 million cubic feet — a volume equal to one-fifth 

 of the growing stock. 



Figure 20. — Trees like this one were tallied as culls by the Forest 

 Survey because dejects indicated that the stems were less than 50 

 percent sound. 



Volume of Cull Trees 



Not included in the low-quality volume of the grow- 

 ing stock but certainly contributing to the low quality 

 of the stands is the large number of cull trees (fig. 20). 

 The stands average nearly 11 cull poletimber and 

 sawtimber trees per acre, 9 of which are rotten. 



Growing-Stock Volume 



All trees 5 inches d. b. h. and larger that are at least 

 50 percent sound and of coinmercial form and species 

 are included in the growing stock. Volume includes 

 the central stem from the stump to a minimum top 

 diameter of 4 inches inside the bark. 



Indiana's Forest Resources and Industries 



15 



