34 WOOD-USING INDUSTRIES OF ARKANSAS. 



necessarily wasteful in the woods. He takes only the very best 

 material from a tree, leaving the remainder — often a third or more — 

 to rot on the ground. He has no means of utilizing material that is 

 not almost entirely free from defects. In some cases it might be possi- 

 ble for him to enlarge his equipment so as to manufacture insulator 

 pins and brackets, chair and furniture squares, hubs, crating, clothes- 

 pins, and the like, thus utilizing what he now leaves; but up to the 

 present, lack of transportation facilities and available markets has 

 hampered him in doing so. From the standpoint of forest conserva- 

 tion, therefore, the sale of timber to stave operators under present 

 conditions is in many cases undesirable. Such sales, it is true, have 

 been made in the past and will be made in the future; but it is the 

 intention to confine these chiefly to overmature white oak, for which 

 there is no other market, and to hold the larger bodies of timber until 

 increased transportation facilities make possible its complete utiliza- 

 tion. Wherever an operator is able to utilize all the material he cuts, 

 sales will, of course, be made. In addition, small operators who wish 

 to cut cordwood, posts, and other material to supply local demand 

 will at all times be able to purchase what they need. 



With pine the case is different. As a rule, the lumberman removes 

 and manufactures all usable material. In the Ozark Forest the pine 

 is so scattered that extensive operations in it alone would be imprac- 

 ticable, but in the Arkansas Forest it occurs in large bodies. 



When application is received for the purchase of a considerable 

 amount of National Forest timber, the stand selected is examined by 

 a Forest Officer, who reports on the character, species, and amount of 

 timber found, and the amount that may be cut in accordance with 

 the principles of forestry. He also recommends a stumpage rate 

 based upon the probable cost of operation and selling price of the 

 lumber, and furnishes a map showing the topographical features of 

 the area, patented lands, and the boundaries of the proposed sale. 

 A formal application, embodying the features of the sale, is then pre- 

 sented for the signature of the applicant, who deposits $50 to cover 

 the cost of advertising for a period of 30 days. At the expiration of 

 this period the sale is awarded to the successful bidder by means of a 

 formal contract. To insure compliance with its terms a reasonable 

 bond is required of the purchaser. As soon as the first advance 

 payment is made the timber to be removed is marked by a Forest 

 officer, and the purchaser begins operations. Throughout the prog- 

 ress of every large sale the timber cut is scaled, and the scale checked, 

 by trained men employed by the Government especially for the pur- 

 pose. Upon the basis of their reports the operator's advance 

 payments are made. 



Special provision has been made for the quick handling of small 

 sales. Sales of timber not exceeding $50 in value may be made by 



