32 BULLETIN 1491, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
It seems undesirable to cut trees for ties until they are large enough 
to yield not less than 2 or 3 ties. Commonly trees 10 or 11 inches in 
diameter are cut for 1 tie, whereas with 15 or 20 more years of growth 
they would cut 2 or 3 ties. If the timber is cut for mine props, how- 
ever, the sizes that are in demand will regulate the cutting, varying 
with the thickness of the coal seams mined. The tops of trees felled 
for ties are often suitable for mine props. 
The black oak and red oaks are the most rapid-growing trees in 
these stands; white oak is more rapid than post oak or blackjack 
oak. The last is commonly very shaky and except occasionally 
is fit for nothing but cordwood. Black oak, red oaks, and white oak 
should be favored as much as possible in these stands; post oak and 
blackjack oak should be cut more heavily and to smaller sizes. In- 
dividual trees which will never develop into merchantable speci- 
mens should be cut out entirely, as should ironwood, redbud, black 
gum, persimmon, dogwood, and other such worthless species. Be- 
cause of the ready market for ties and mine props, these stands 
lend themselves ideally to a system of continual cropping at inter- 
vals of a few years. The smaller sizes can be utilized for mine props 
and the larger sizes for ties. On lower slopes and along stream 
courses where the growth is most rapid, occasional stands may be 
permitted to develop to saw-log size. 
SLASH DISPOSAL 
No alteration of the methods already discussed for the disposal 
of slash after logging is proposed. Such disposal may sometimes 
be justified, however, by at least one other reason than protection 
against forest fires. Any great amount of slash left lying will 
take up space that should be growing trees and will often smother 
out small trees which are just starting or cause them to grow crooked 
for a few years. 
OPERATIONS FOLLOWING CUTTING AND REGROWTH 
Following the establishment of young growth (commonly called 
brush) through seedlings or sprouts, the owner has the opportunity 
to control to a large degree the species which will predominate in 
the mature stand. Of the seedlings or sprouts that begin life on 
each acre of forest land, the valuable species may represent only 
one-tenth or less out of a total of several thousand, of which, when 
the timber reaches maturity, only 50 to 300 trees may be of merchant- 
able size. Obviously, it is to the owners advantage to have all or 
nearly all of these merchantable trees of the better and more valu- 
able species. He can effect this by cultivating the stand with an ax 
when it is in the seedling, brush, sapling, and small-pole stages. This 
means going through the woods with an ax and cutting out the 
poorer species. Even when the better species are decidedly in the 
minority as small trees, this operation can make them an important 
part if not the dominating species of the mature stand. The opera- 
tion may have to be repeated several times at intervals of 5 or 10 
years ; good judgment will indicate when this is necessary. 
In those stands, particularly of farm woods, which have been 
rejuvenated simply by eliminating grazing and preventing fires, the 
