to saw timber. Saplings in the Coastal Plain contribute 
less to ingrowth because so many of the small trees 
occur as a dense understory in older stands, where they 
grow very slowly. Thus, the value of a large backlog 
of young timber is greatly diminished if a large part 
of it continues to grow very slowly under adverse 
competitive conditions in the stand. In such instances, 
thinning and stand improvement will help to increase 
pole-timber growth. 
Differences in outgrowth account for most of the 
difference in net pole-timber growth between the 
Coastal Plain and the Piedmont. This large outgrowth 
in the Coastal Plain does not mean any less total growth: 
it merely means that the greater proportion of the pole- 
timber growth appears as saw timber. Balancing growth 
and drain means a shift of drain from pole-timber sizes 
to saw-timber sizes. But if this shift cannot be made or 
is not made, pole-timber growing stock will continue to 
decline. Both net pole-timber growth and saw-timber 
growth are affected. For instance, the effect of a shortage 
of pole-timber growing stock in the Coastal Plain is 
already in evidence. Even though outgrowth rates are 
higher here, pole timber contributes only 25 percent of 
the total saw-timber growth in board feet. In the Pied- 
mont 34 percent of the saw-timber growth comes from 
the pole-timber growing stock. 
An adequate supply of saw timber requires an adequate 
supply of pole timber. Thus, pole timber is the keystone 
in the future timber-supply structure. In short, the 
picture is this: In the Piedmont, pole timber, which 1s 
already abundant, is increasing very rapidly and is not 
being cut very heavily. The opposite is true in the 
Coastal Plain: pole timber, already in short supply, is 
being cut very heavily and continues to decline. 
DRAIN DIFFERS BY LOCALITY 
The tremendous variation in the intensity of com- 
modity drain between local areas constitutes a distinctive 
feature of the drain pattern in South Carolina. In 1946, 
for instance, softwood drain by county ranged from 
22 cords per thousand cords of growing stock to 264 
cords (fig. 46). The intensity of cutting in some local 
areas partially reflects the manner in which the old- 
growth forests were cut. Vast areas of timberland were 
cut over in a relatively short time; the second-growth 
forests which followed were approximately of one age. 
Also, successive waves of cropland abandonment, espe- 
cially in the Piedmont, resulted in many even-aged stands 
all falling within two or three age classes. 
Consequently, in many localities, a large part of the 
second-growth timber reaches merchantable size at about 
the same time. Soon thereafter, numerous small sawmills 
spring up throughout the countryside, and drain in these 
local areas is greatly increased. There is usually not 
enough timber, however, to support this high concen- 
tration of sawmills and within a few years many shut 
down or move on to areas with a better supply. This 
is evident from what took place in the period 1942-47. 
During those 6 years, lumber production in counties 
such as Horry, Williamsburg, and Marion dropped as 
much as 50 percent in proportion to the State total, 
and the industry has moved southward into the area 
centering around Dorchester County (fig. 47). There 
has been a similar shift in production from the lower 
to the upper Piedmont. 
In the past, this shifting of cutting intensity by local 
areas tended to be self-perpetuating. As large areas of 
timberland were cut over in a relatively short time, the 
stands which followed retained their even-age character. 
However, in spite of extremely heavy cutting locally, 
the present trend is toward a greater number of age 
classes. The shift is from pure pine stands to mixed 
pine-hardwood stands which inherently take on a 
many-aged character. Further, pulpwood cutting opera- 
tions, which do not tend to concentrate in local areas 
as much as sawmill operations, can be expected to 
reduce some of the fluctuations in drain by creating a 
greater variety of stand size. Finally, the increase in 
forest land ownership by forest industries will serve 
as a stabilizing influence on local drain as these areas 
are put under sustained-yield management. 
No REDUCTION IN DRAIN IN SIGHT 
Future drain can be expected to fluctuate with changes 
in economic activity and accompanying price changes. 
For example, in 1923, during a period of high economic 
activity, softwood lumber production hit a peak of over 
a billion board feet, then dropped to less than 400 
million during the depression years of the early 30's. 
In 1932, when the average mill price of yellow pine 
lumber in South Carolina was $4.66 per thousand less 
than in 1931, production dropped 45 million board 
feet (fig. 48). On the other hand, in 1936, when the 
price was $20.30 per thousand, or $3.14 more than the 
preceding year, lumber production increased 97 million 
board feet (11). In like manner, production increased 
sharply in 1941 and 1942, and in 1946. As long as 
economic activity remains at the present high level a 
reduction in lumber drain seems very unlikely. 
36 Forest Resource Report No. 3, U. S. Department of Agriculture 

