46 SECOND-GROWTH HARDWOODS IN CONNECTICUT. 



Nevertheless, while the vigor of sprouting from such stands may be as 

 great as it would be if the final cutting were made earlier, the density 

 of the sprouts may be much less, since at the age of 75 years there will 

 be fewer trees, and consequently fewer stumps. This may result in 

 understocking and the development of limby or crooked trees of small 

 value except for cordwood. 



Oaks decrease in sprouting capacity much earlier than chestnut, 

 and should therefore be cut earlier. Of the oaks found in Connec- 

 ticut, chestnut or "rock" oak probably retains its sprouting ability 

 for the longest time. A maximum rotation of 45 years might be used 

 for this species with fair hope of securing satisfactory sprout repro- 

 duction. For the other species of oak, rotations of more than 25 or 

 35 ~\ r ears could probably not be depended upon to result in good 

 stands of sprouts. Under long rotations many of the stumps would 

 utterly fail to produce sprouts, while most of those which did sprout 

 would tend to produce only relatively weak and inferior saplings. 



Repeated clear cuttings of a sprout stand will ultimately reduce 

 its sprouting capacity and the rate of growth of the sprouts, and 

 increase its susceptibility to disease. The treatment under such con- 

 ditions is outlined on page 57 under the subject of "Regenerating 

 worn-out sprout stands." 



In old stands containing a preponderance of oak, reproduction must 

 necessarily be secured by natural seeding, with or without assistance 

 by planting. In such cases rotation may be of any length indicated 

 by the other factors, except that in stands under 40 or 50 years old 

 seed production is likely to be too scanty to insure good reproduction 

 after cutting. 



CHOICE OF MATERIAL. 



What kind of material it will be best to grow, whether cordwood, 

 lumber, ties, or poles, will depend upon market conditions, illustrated 

 for the present time in Tables 9 to 16, and upon the number of years 

 necessary to produce each kind, as shown in the yield tables. There 

 is little prospect of more than a temporary decline in the value of any 

 of the standard products of Connecticut woodlands, and the stump age 

 values given in Part II may therefore be safely taken as conservative. 



Tables 34 and 35 show how to apply the stumpage values given in 

 Tables 10, 12, 14, and 16 to the yield tables in order to obtain the 

 approximate stumpage value per acre in cordwood, lumber, ties, and 

 poles. The case is that of a quality II chestnut stand, 4 miles from 

 market (2 trips per day haul), and with teaming wage rates at $5 per 

 day. Table 34 is based on a market value for cordwood of $4.50, 

 while in Table 35 it is $5. This is the only difference. The tables 



