80 



FOREST CONDITIONS IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA. 



Incomplete Utilization. 



Much mercliantable timber is wasted tbrougli cutting higli stumps. 

 As the lower part of the tree usually makes the finest quality of lum- 

 ber, the frequent loss of twenty-five to fifty board feet of this high 

 grade lumber from each tree amounts to a considerable item. Where 

 trees are felled with an axe, as much as twelve inches in the length 

 of a log is lost in the form of chips. All timber should be cut with 

 the saw, and the stumps should be cut low, rarely more than eighteen 

 inches in height. 



In some operations much merchantable timber is left in the tops. 

 When the cutters are restricted to definite sized logs, such as twelve, 

 fourteen, or sixteen feet long, short logs are left which might be util- 

 ized if eight or ten foot logs could be used. A short log, even if knotty, 

 will often make ties. Such a log can be left on the last cut and cut into 

 proper lengths at the mill. Much of this waste in the tops is unavoid- 

 able on small operations, because the material, though merchantable, 

 would cost more to place on the market than it can be sold for. How- 

 ever, where a small profit may reasonably be expected from the hand- 

 ling of such material it is only fair that the landowner selling stump- 

 age should insist on its being utilized. 



Much loss is often incurred, especially in logging yellow poplar, from 

 the breaking of the trees in felling. Poplar is very brittle and when 

 felled across rocks or very uneven ground, the upper part of the tree 

 is likely to be broken. This can usually be avoided by care on the 

 part of the felling crew. 



Perhaps the greatest waste of timber that is going on in the moun- 

 tains at the present time is in connection with the cutting of chestnut 

 oak for bark. Because of its poor quality for lumber and the great 

 distances to market, the logs from which the bark is peeled are very 

 often left in the woods to rot. Chestnut oak makes first quality ties, 

 so that if the material were near enough to a railroad to warrant its 

 manufacture into ties it could be used for this purpose. 'In Eastern 

 Kentucky this is usually done, ties often being hauled fifteen to eighteen 

 miles. The low price paid for ties in Western !N"orth Carolina does 

 not warrant such a long haul. It would be much better if the owners 

 of chestnut oak timber would postpone selling the bark until there was 

 a market for the timber. 



On the other hand much bark of both chestnut oak and hemlock is 

 wasted in lumbering operations because it is claimed that the price 

 paid for this material does not warrant the trouble and expense of peel- 

 ing and marketing it. If the species that are used for bark could be 



