F-433869 
Figure 36.—Although timber is by far the most important source of income from forest land in the northern part of the State, 
it is possible under proper management to raise some cattle without interfering with timber production. 
Gum Production and Timber Yields 
Some practices associated with gum _ production, 
which is confined to slash and longleaf pine, con- 
tribute to undesirable forest conditions. In the past, 
it was the custom to rake the debris away from 
working trees to protect them from frequent wild- 
fires. The fires, on the other hand, served to keep 
the woods free of undergrowth and to make it easier 
for the turpentine workers to move about in the 
stands. However, this frequent burning took a heavy 
toll of young trees and helped to keep the stands 
open and poorly stocked. Often little effort was made 
to confine these fires to any particular area; they 
frequently escaped to adjoining areas to add to the 
annual damage caused by other wildfires. 
Gum production conflicted with timber production 
in other ways. The practice of hanging cups on all 
trees in the stand above a certain diameter is the 
principal reason for the present serious shortage of 
large timber. Prior to the establishment of the Naval 
Stores Conservation Program in 1936, it was com- 
mon practice to chip all trees in the stand 8 to 9 
inches and larger. Some 7-inch trees, and occasionally 
trees as small as 6 inches were cupped. Chipping 
The Timber Supply Situation in Florida 
affects a tree in several ways. First of all, it reduces 
growth; according to studies of wood-chipping meth- 
ods, diameter growth may be reduced by a third to 
a half. Even after chipping stops, especially if chip- 
ping is deep, trees often do not recover normal 
growth (/8). However, recent studies show that bark 
chipping has very little effect on growth. 
A second effect of chipping these small trees was 
to reduce their quality for wood products. Many a 
potential pole or saw-timber tree is suitable only for 
pulpwood by the time it is worked out. 
Mortality among small turpentined trees was par- 
ticularly high. Chipping, burning of the faces by 
wildfires, and subsequent borer attacks so weakened 
the trees that large numbers were broken down by 
the wind every year. These were usually left lying 
on the ground and were eventually burned up in 
subsequent fires. 
Thus, since most of the young-growth timber was 
worked for gum as soon as it became large enough, 
very few small trees had the chance to grow into 
quality saw timber. This absence of young timber 
to replenish the supply of saw timber accelerated the 
already rapid decline caused by heavy cutting. 
41 
