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A THIRP CROP—FIRE PROTECTION. 43 
leaf pine is small and that of the loblolly or shortleaf pine ts large, 
it will be well in the cutting to encourage the development of these 
two pines as much as possible without hindering that of the longleaf 
pine. 
To accomplish this it will be best to leave all longleaf pine under 18 
inches in diameter and to cut all loblolly and shortleaf pines down to 
14 inches in diameter. 
RULES FOR MARKING AND CUTTING. 
On whatever part of the tract lumbering is being done, the highest 
future yield will result only if the above recommendations for the selec- 
tion of trees to be cut are carefully followed. All trees to be cut should 
be marked, and the sawyers should be required to follow the markings 
closely, to cut all marked trees, and to leave standing all unmarked 
trees. In felling and skidding they should exercise all possible care 
not to break down or otherwise injure any trees that are to be left 
standing. 
The recommendations for cutting are summarized in the following 
set of rules: 
1. All longleaf pine 18 inches. and over in diameter breasthigh, 
_except where variations in the character of the forest require a raising 
or lowering of the cutting limit, shall be marked for removal. 
2. All loblolly and shortleaf pines 14 inches and over in diameter 
breasthigh shall be marked for removal. 
3. Broken-topped, redheart, or otherwise defective trees of all 
diameters, which will pay the cost of removal, or can be utilized for 
ties, corduroy, skids, and so forth, shall be marked for removal. 
4. No trees which are not marked shall be cut. 
5. If use of small timber in logging is unavoidable, it shall be 
obtained not from scattered timber, but from dense thickets of young 
growth. For this purpose crooked, short-boled, defective, or other- 
wise unpromising trees shall be selected and marked, so that straight, 
thrifty trees may be left as the basis for future crops. 
6. Each saw boss shall enforce care in felling so as not to break, 
scrape, or otherwise injure small trees; and he shall allow no bedding 
with small trees. 
7. Tops shall be lopped flat to the ground at least 15 feet clear of 
unmarked trees, to avoid damage from slash fires. 
A Tuirp Crorp—FireE PROTECTION 
After the removal of the second crop the number of trees left stand- 
ing as a basis for a third crop will be insignificant. ~In order to obtain 
a third crop within a reasonable period after the harvesting of the 
second, it will be necessary to obtain a reproduction of the long- 
leaf pine now. On some parts of the tract there is already present a 
