32 BULLETIN 1061, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE' 
starts when the largest trees in the stand have attained sufficient 
size for working. After being completely worked the trees are cut 
and removed, giving space for the accelerated growth of the re- 
maining stand. In the working the trees are bled for about four 
years (with a relatively narrow face to a height of 6 feet), followed 
by a rest for about- three years. This operation is then repeated 
twice with a new face each time, representing in all a working- 
period of about 20 years. If the age of the stand at the start was 
30 years, it is now 50 years old. The trees are now cut and utilized, 
and another 20-year working period begun, making use of the larger 
trees of the remaining stand. 
If the yearly burnings in connection with the turpentining de- 
stroys most of the young growth which starts, as seems likely, in 
order to secure a satisfactory reforestation of the tract, it may be 
necessary, in the case of either method of turpentining, to secure for- 
est regeneration by the artificial means of seed sowing or by plant- 
ing nursery -grown seedlings. 
Operating old-groivth timber on the Florida National Forest. — 
The regulations for turpentine operations on Government-owned 
timber on the Florida National Forest 8 will afford suggestions to 
private owners desiring to work or lease their timber, under methods 
of operation that aim to reduce the injury and waste and maintain 
the production of turpentine over a maximum period of years. The 
enforcement of these requirements has been no obstacle to success- 
ful forest management, but rather has proved to be a great help. 
Competition for turpentine rights is keen among operators, and m 
1919 the bids reached the high mark of $25.70 per 100 cups. 
Close observation and study of the best practice of turpentining 
has resulted in the regulation of 1 cup on trees measuring from 10 
to 15 inches, inclusive, in diameter; 2 cups on trees 16 to 24 inches: 
and not more than 3 cups on any tree. The forest is located 
in western Florida, in a region of deep, dry, sandy soil, where only 
longleaf pine and southern blackjack oak are able to maintain an 
existence and where the pine is mostly mature or slow growing. 
The timber, however, is worked for about 14 years out of a total 
of 15 to IT years. The procedure normally is about as follows, sub- 
ject to minor variations depending upon conditions: Virgin crop 
worked for 3 years, high-face 4 years (sometimes 3) : a rest period 
usually of 3 years (minimum of 1 year) : back-cupping carried on 
for 3 years, and high-face back-cutting for 3 or 4 years. The first 
working is sold, or if desired, the combined first and second work- 
ings together. After the rest interval the same practice of selling 
the rights is used in the back cuppings. The plan is to sell the tim- 
ber at the expiration of the working, which on one operation on the 
Florida National Forest will be completed in 1927. 
An idea, of the conditions to which the buyers of turpentine rights 
on the national forest subscribe may be had from the following 
form. The bold-face type indicates the portions of the agreement 
that are filled in separately in each case, and the figures used 
represent about average conditions. 
s Initiated by I. F. Eldredge, forest inspector, and for about 10 years carried on under 
his direction. * This applies to all of the turpentine operations on the Florida National 
Forest from 1907 to 1917. 
