FOREST CONDITIOJs^S IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA. 



93 



result that the second growth of this type contains an even smaller pro- 

 portion of the more valuable species. 



The problem, then, is to find a market for the beech and maple. 

 Maple is largely used in the N'orth for furniture and veneer. In the 

 United States as a whole more than one million cords of beech, maple 

 and birch are used annually for wood distillation, at an average price 

 of $3 per cord. These industries might profitably be introduced into 

 the I^orth Carolina mountains. Beech and maple could then be cut, 

 leaving the more valuable species to seed up the area and thereby in- 

 creasing the future value of the forest. 



CARE OF THE STAND. 



The care of the stand falls naturally under two headings: (1) thin- 

 nings and other cultural operations; (2) protection against fire, graz- 

 ing, wind, insects, etc. 



THINNINGS. 



A thinning is a light cutting, generally in a young stand, to remove 

 trees which will never amount to anything or which are hindering more 

 valuable trees. In Europe, where forestry has long been established and 

 intensively practiced, thinnings are one of the most important forest 

 problems. In the United States, however, they need scarcely be consid- 

 ered for the present, except in small pieces of forest, such as farm wood- 

 lots. In these woodlots thinnings should be of considerable value. 



All the crooked and poorly formed trees, and all trees which have 

 been so crowded that they would be unable to recover even if given 

 sufficient light, should be cut. All trees of inferior species which are 

 interfering with more valuable trees should also be removed. "Where 

 two trees of equal value are crowding each other the less promising one 

 should be taken and the better one left. 



The result will be threefold : first, the proportion of valuable species 

 will be increased ; second, the rate of growth of the stand will be greatly 

 increased; third, a certain amount of material for fence posts and cord- 

 wood will be obtained. Thinnings are, therefore, decidedly worth while. 

 It may be well before cutting, even when the owner does the cutting 

 himself, to mark the trees to be taken. This avoids confusion and gives 

 some idea of what the stand will look like after the operation has been 

 completed. Thinnings may be made every ten to fifteen years, or as 

 often as enough material can be cut to pay for the operation. 



If the owner has a little spare time it will often pay him to go into 

 a stand of coppice five to fifteen years old and cut out the crooked 

 sprouts and the sprouts of inferior trees interfering with those of more 



