COTTONWOOD IN THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. 35 
erowth of vines and underbrush. They will also help to clear the 
cottonwood of side branches. 
The most valuable associates of cottonwood are green and white 
ash, the various red and white oaks, and red gum. Only ash and 
oak command higher stumpage values. Red gum is now much less 
valuable on the stump, and, like the other associates, 1s much slower 
growing. Assuming a stumpage value of $5 per thousand for cot- 
tonwood, the following figures would be typical for its associates, 
if of good quality: red gum, $2; oak, $5 to $7; ash, $6 to $10; cypress, 
$5; elm, $2. The less important species, such as hackberry, sycamore. 
boxelder, river birch, and silver maple, usually have little, if any, 
value for lumber, although under certain conditions they may some- 
times be worth from 50 cents to $1 for fuel, especially in the north 
of the valley. 
The high value of ash makes it one of the most desirable species 
to encourage in the bottoms. Measurements in the northeastern 
section of Arkansas indicate that in comparison with cottonwood 
the greater value of ash timber is to a large extent offset by 
its much shower growth. Ash, however, is used in much smaller 
sizes than cottonwood, as in the manufacture of tool and implement 
handles and oars. 
Red gum is more abundant and more extensively used for lumber 
in the South than is cottonwood. Its use is increasing, and it repro- 
duces readily. Thus, although its present stumpage value is low and 
its growth much less rapid than that of cottonwood, it will often 
be advisable to encourage red gum in restocking logged-over areas. 
The faster growing oaks, especially red and willow oak, are also 
of sufficient importance to encourage to a certain extent, particu- 
larly on the higher portions of the bottoms. They do not grow as 
fast as cottonwood, but produce more valuable wood. 
SEED TREES. 
As in pure cottonwood, a clear cutting system with provision for 
seed trees is the only means of securing reproduction of cottonwood 
in mixed stands. It is likewise adapted to the other valuable species, 
except oak. Red gum’s intolerance of shade is probably exceeded 
among the bottomland species only by cottonwood itself. Ash when 
young will endure partial shade, but during most of its hfe full light 
is essential to rapid growth. The prolific regeneration of these three 
species on old fields and other openings where the mineral soil is 
exposed confirms the advisability of clear cutting. 
The selection of seed trees in mixed stands should be governed 
by the same general considerations as in pure stands. Since all 
gum and oak trees bear seed, selection of seed trees is easy. Seed 
