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WESTERN WHITE PINE AND LARCH-FIR FORESTS 25 
TREATMENT OF SPECIES OTHER THAN WHITE PINE 
Unfortunately, western white pine rarely occurs in pure stands, 
and Douglas fir, larch, cedar, hemlock, or white fir are usually asso- 
ciated with it. These species, while essentially useful woods, now 
have a much lower lumber value than white pine, and it is often 
questionable whether it pays to log them. Under average white pine 
logging conditions the margin of profit on these species is very small 
and cost records often show an actual loss of $3 to $7 a thousand 
board feet, even when all logging improvements are charged against 
the white pine. It is only on the easier logging chances or during 
temporary periods of favorable market conditions that thefe is any 
profit in the so-calied “ mixed ” species. 
Under the practice followed until recently of broadcast-burning 
the slash, any timber left standing was irretrievably lost, and this has 
undoubtedly influenced many operators to try to get out what they 
could at the time the white pine was logged, even though the returns 
were small or doubtful. 
Assuming that under the present Idaho State law slash will be 
piled and burned and injury to standing trees will thus be avoided, 
it will be possible to leave the mixed species for a later cut, if this 
appears ‘likely to pay better than removing them now. There is 
every reason to believe that Douglas fir, larch, hemlock, and white 
fir will increase in value, and there may be a very good profit in 
holding these species. The State of Idaho is now following this prac- 
tice in sales of State timber. Except under the most favorable con- 
ditions, it would appear that the timber owner would be better off 
to cut the white pine and the cedar poles and leave all other material 
standing. 
Unfortunately, there is a conflict here between gcod economics 
and good forestry. In order to assure satisfactory conditions for 
white pine reproduction the shade of the virgin forest must to a 
large extent be removed. - If all of the mixed species are left standing, 
white pine reproduction may be limited, or if the shade is sufficiently 
heavy may be entirely prevented. The degree of this unfavorable 
condition will, of course, depend on the amount of timber left and 
to a considerable extent on the species. Hemlock and white fir cast 
a heavy shade, and if present in considerable quantities may be fatal 
to white pine reproduction. Larch casts a much hghter shade and 
can more safely be left. . 
In logging operations on the national forests the cutting of all 
merchantable white fir and hemlock to a breast-high diameter of 
12 inches is usually required. This is done on the theory that the 
Government can afford to take some loss now by removing the in- 
ferior species in order to increase the future yield and percentage 
of the more valuable species. This may not be true in the case of 
the private timber owner, and if species other than white pine can 
not now be handled with a reasonable profit it would ordinarily 
pay to leave them for a possible increase in value, recognizing that 
there will be some loss in the productive capacity of the iand and that 
the percentage of white pine in future crops will be reduced. 
