










TABLE 13.— Saw-timber growth goals and 1946 growth, 
by region and species groups 




Softwoods Hardwoods All species 
Region : 
Growth 1946 | Growth 1946 | Growth 1946 
goal growth goal growth | goal growth 
Million | Million | Million | Million | Million | Million 
bd. ft. bd. ft. bd. ft. bd. ft. bd. ft. bd. ft. 
Southern Coastal 
blaineyeeome scat 350 232 178 167 528 399 
Northern Coastal 
lainereves aie 614 454 255 255 869 709 
Piedmont. 2.5.02... 340 244 128 105 468 349 
South Carolina} 1,304 930 561 527 1,865 1,457 





ing stock needed to sustain the saw-timber growth 
goals. The saw-timber growth goal has been set high 
enough so that a large volume of pole-size timber now 
being cut can in the future be cut as saw timber, In 
other words, increasing the rotation age (shifting pole- 
timber drain to saw-timber drain) represents a practical 
and feasible method of increasing total forest produc- 
tion. Ultimately, when growing stock is properly 
distributed in the forest— and providing there are 
no significant changes in growth rates — total pole- 
timber growth will be 11 percent below 1946 growth 
(table 14). 
This shift of pole-timber drain to saw-timber sizes 
is practical for most commodities now cut from pole 
timber. For instance, small saw-timber trees are well 
suited for pulpwood bolts. In 1946, 70 percent of the 
total pulpwood drain came from saw timber. In fact, 
there is evidence (7) that pulpwood cut from 12-inch 
trees yields greater margins for stumpage than that 
from other tree sizes. Neither do fuel-wood specifica- 
tions confine the cut to pole timber. The majority of the 
poles and piling are now cut from small saw timber 
rather than from pole-size trees. Only fence posts, 
which in 1946 comprised one percent of the total drain, 
are cut mainly from pole timber out of preference for 
this size. Consequently, there are few timber needs 
which must be met exclusively from pole-size trees. 
The proposed reduction in pole-timber growth is 
entirely in the Piedmont, where a surplus exists at 
present. This does not mean any reduction in total 
growth of all sizes of timber; actually it means an 
increase. It means that a large part of the forest area 
now supporting pole timber will eventually support 
saw timber. It means that where the trees are now cut 
when they are 6 or 8 inches in diameter, they will be 
allowed to grow to 10 or 12 inches before they are cut. 
Timber Supply Outlook in South Carolina 
The result will be a higher cubic-foot growth per acre 
as well as a fuller utilization of the timber-growing 
capabilities of the forest land. 
In the Coastal Plain, where a deficiency now exists, 
pole-timber growth goals are substantially above current 
growth and are established at a level that will sustain 
the required saw-timber growing stock. They will not, 
however, equal even the 1946 drain on pole timber, 
which amounted to 787,000 cords. Temporarily, some 
of this drain may come from the Piedmont, where there 
is a surplus of pole timber. Ultimately, however, if pole- 
timber growing stock is to be maintained, this excess 
drain over growth must come from sawlog-size trees. 
Again it simply means, as in the Piedmont, increasing 
the rotation age of the timber. 
TABLE 14.— Pole-timber growth goals and 1946 growth, 
by region and species group 
Softwoods Hardwoods All species 

Region a 
Growth 1946 | Growth 1946 
goal growth goal 
Growth 1946 
growth goal growth 

Thousand| Thousand | Thousand| Thousand|Thousand| Thousand 

cords cords cords cords cords cords 
Southern Coastal 
Blainy tects sac ete 70 46 51 36 121 82 
Northern Coastal 
Pl aims an ius svaniors 106 59 181 129 287 188 
Piedmont, s.a./s.0e 215 418 174 210 389 628 
South Carolina 391 523 406 375 197. 898: 





TWENTY-FOUR PERCENT INCREASE IN 
GROWING STOCK NEEDED 
One of the best ways to increase growth is through 
increasing the quantity of growing stock. Assuming 
1946 growth rates, the growing stock volume of all 
sound trees 5.0 inches d.b.h. and larger must be 
increased from 120 million cords to 149 million cords 
to meet prospective timber needs (growth goals), or 
an increase of 24 percent (table 15). Most of the 
increase is needed in the softwood species; growing 
stock requirements call for a 34-percent increase com- 
pared to a 12-percent increase in hardwoods. Practically 
all the increase in hardwoods should be confined to the 
soft hardwood species such as the gums and yellow- 
poplar. It is mainly in these that growth is lagging 
behind current needs. 
To achieve saw-timber growth goals at current growth 
rates, saw-timber growing stock must be increased 
substantially in all parts of the State (table 16). The 
49 
