12 



^Yere often left standing. In many cases such trees have seeded up 

 immense areas of cut-over land and greatly increased the propor- 

 tion of white pine and yellow poplar in the second grovrth. Thus, 

 cove lands in eastern Tennessee (Sullivan County, Hol^-ton Moun- 

 tains), logged from eight to fifteen j^ears ago, where a few seed- 

 bearing pine and poplar unfit to cut were left, now contain in the 

 second growth 25 per cent each of poplar and white pine, with a 

 fair stand of white and red oaks and chestnut. Such results, secured 

 by accident, indicate Avhat may be accomplished by systematic man- 

 agement, the underlying ])rinciples of which may be summarized 

 briefly as folloAvs: 



(1) White pine, yellow poplar, white oak, or any other valuable 

 species of the cove and lower slope land should be cut to a diameter 

 limit of about 18 or 20 inches on the stump. This cutting limit will 

 take in all trees large enough for lumber and will leave, a small sprink- 

 ling of seed-bearing trees. As far as possible, one seed tree of both 

 white pine and i^ellow poplar to the acre, or four of white oak or 

 chestnut, should be left on the logged-over area. Where seed trees 

 of a diameter below the cutting limit are lacking, larger trees should 

 be left ; either those which are unsound and very defective, and which 

 w^ould furnish but little merchantable timber, or those whicli are 

 still very thrifty and can wait over until the next logging Avithout 

 injury. In general, no sound, valuable trees over 21 inches in diam- 

 eter at the stump, and no trees large enough to cut which are partly 

 unsound but still largely merchantable, should be left by the loggers, 

 since such trees would in all probability be a total lo^s by the time 

 the second cut is. made. 



(2) To secure all the light and space needed by the 3M3ung growth 

 of the valuable species, the other merchantable species, such as hem- 

 lock, red and black oak, chestnut, hickor3% gum, and basswood, should 

 be logged just as closely and heavily as possible. Black and red 

 oak can be used down to 10 inches breasthigh for cross-ties. Hickory 

 and black gum are now being cut, the former for handle stock and 

 the latter for rough construction lumber. These trees should be 

 logged, together with black oak, as small as can be handled profitabW. 

 Only vrhere the smaller trees of pine or poplar are lacking, or occur 

 but sparsely, should red and black oaks, chestnut, or cucumber be left 

 under the same cutting rules as those suggested for the tv;o favored 

 species. In case of special demand for oak and chestnut timber the 

 smaller trees of those species may be left throughout the entire cove 

 forest, under the method of cutting just outlined. After logging 

 the growth of such small timber should be rapid and the increase in 

 money value great. At the same time these small trees vvill seed up 

 the ground and insure a l)etter reproduction of valuable timber trees. 



[Cir. 118.] 



