34 WORKING PLAN, FOREST LANDS IN ALABAMA. 
to suit the needs of each particular part of the forest, a practice | | 
which would result in leaving the stand in a considerably better silvical, 
condition. It would, of course, be impossible to cut in such a way as 
to leave a basis for a second crop evenly distributed over the whole. 
area, because in many of the older groups the trees are all obviously | 
overmature and are increasing in value so slowly that to leave any of | 
them standing would be a decided financial loss; and it would, on the, 
other hand, be impossible to extend the cutting absolutely over all the | 
forest, because in many of the younger groups the trees are all far too 
small to be merchantable and could be cut only at a loss. | 
Among the older groups there are trees from 15 to 18 inches in> 
diameter which are sound, healthy, and still increasing in volume at. 
a satisfactory rate and which it would pay to leave standing until the | 
second crop is harvested. On the other hand, among the younger) 
groups, trees from 12 to 15 inches in diameter are to be found which 
can be handled at a slight profit, and whose removal would increase 
the rate of growth of the trees remaining. 
TURPENTINING. 
As long as the boxing for turpentine is confined to those trees 
which are already mature and which will within the next two years 
be cut for sawlogs, injury to the other trees is prevented and, beyond 
the fact that while it is carried on it will encourage the frequency of | 
surface fires, the turpentining will in itself have no effect, either good 
or bad, on the future productive capacity of the forest. | 
The question of the advisability of boxing for turpentine is merely ] 
one of present profits, whether or not the revenue per acre or per) 
tree derived from the lease of the boxing rights exceeds the loss in 
value per acre or per tree of the saw timber. This question was not 
made a matter for careful measurement and comparison. The lumber 
company will decide whether its turpentining lease is profitable by | 
actual trial over a small portion of the tract, which will be lumbered ] 
within the next two years. 
THE SECOND Crop. 
ESTIMATE OF FUTURE YIELD AND INTEREST RETURNS. 
The company looks forward to a second crop of timber from its lands | 
n 25 years. The merchantable yield per acre after this period must_ 
average about 3,000 feet board measure, since a smaller amount could. 
not be lumbered at so high a profit. In determining, therefore, the 
diameter to which the trees should now be cut, it has been assumed 
that no limit which will produce less than 2,500 feet board measure 
per acre after 30 years will be considered by the company. | 
The estimate of future yields has been confined to the longleaf pine 
on the longleaf pine land. 
