24 BULLETIN 1494, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 
METHODS OF CUTTING 
As stated in the preceding pages, protection from fire is the one 
all-important essential in the western white pine type in reestablish- 
ing a new crop after cutting and so keeping forest land productive. 
With complete fire protection, which includes careful burning of 
the slash in piles, it may be safely predicted that 60 to 75 per cent 
of the area cut over will reproduce to a satisfactory stand containing 
a good percentage of white pine without any necessity for seed trees 
or other silvicultural measures. 
In other words, present logging practice plus complete protection 
of cut-over areas from fire will permit satisfactory reproduction of 
desirable species on about three-quarters of the area cut over. Failure 
to get this is ordinarily to be explained in one of three ways. It 
may be due to failure of the seed in the duff, which possibly lay too 
long before cutting, or was impaired by a severe drought following 
cutting. It may be due to unfavorable site. Or the fault may lie in 
too much shade, a condition that often results when no other species 
than white pine is cut or when too many defective, unmerchantable 
white fir and hemlock are left. 
Results from present logging practice can be bettered in varying 
degree by forestry measures designed to increase yields and to 
approach correspondingly the production of full timber crops. Just 
how far it will pay a timber owner to go in modifying logging 
practice to improve natural results which he will get practically 
without special effort or expense beyond fire protection will depend 
on his individual circumstances and the conditions on his land. 
In the course of about 20 years’ experience in cutting timber in 
this type the Forest Service has developed methods of handling white 
pine on the national forests which have in general been successful 
in leaving the cut-over areas productive and in assuring reproduction 
of the more valuable species. 
SEED TREES 
Since the greater part of the western white pine type occurs in 
practically even-aged stands the usual object of the forester is to cut 
the existing crop clean and grow his next crop from seed rather 
than to make a partial, selective cutting with the expectation of a 
second intermediate cut from the younger and smaller trees. Excel- 
jent reproduction from seed already present in the duff may be ex- 
pected. Since this can not always be depended upon, however, it is 
desirable to leave seed trees to furnish a continuing supply of seed 
after cutting. From two to six white pine trees per acre, and the 
same number of trees of other species, preferably larch or cedar, 
should be selected: and reserved. These should be dominant trees, 
free from defect, and with good crowns. If the area is accessible - 
it may be possible to cut these trees 10 or 15 years later, after repro- 
duction is well established; otherwise they can be left till the new 
crop has matured. 2 
In very overmature stands there are often no suitable trees to leave 
for seed bearers, and in such cases the area must be cut clean. If 
reproduction does not result from seed in the duff, planting will be 
necessary to establish a new crop. 
