32 BULLETIN 604, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
PROBLEM OF MANAGEMENT. 
In view of the fact that for many years to come the Forest Service, 
as well as timber owners in the West generally, will be concerned 
primarily with the management of virgin forests, it is evident that 
the immediate problem is the utilization of the present crop of mature 
and overmature timber and the protection of second-growth stands 
against loss through fire and disease. 
As has already been brought out, most of the merchantable incense 
cedar to-day consists of mature timber practically at a standstill as 
regards growth and more or less affected with dry-rot. The logical 
procedure, therefore, is to cut out as fast as practicable all mature 
and infected trees, disposing of them at a nominal price if necessary, 
in order to insure the health and soundness of the remaining stand. 
Such a policy is now practiced by the Forest Seiwice in sales of Gov- 
ernment timber and should be the policy of all private operators who 
are interested in the future of their holdings. By adequate fire pro- 
tection and the elimination of all diseased timber as the forested areas 
are cut over, future stands and the young and thrifty growing stock 
already established can be prevented to a large extent from falling 
into the unfortunate condition now prevailing in virgin stands. For- 
tunately, under normal conditions, natural reproduction of incense 
cedar is excellent, so that protection from fire and a reasonable 
amount of care in cutting are all that is necessary to insure a per- 
petuation of the stand. 
Next in importance, from the standpoint of management, is the 
encouragement of rapid growth and improved form in future stands 
of this species. Here the opportunity of the forester to overcome 
the obstacles presented, is limited only by the maximum possibilities 
of the tree and the economic conditions which must be met in order 
to insure a reasonable return on the investment. 
ROTATION. 
Preliminary studies by Dr. E. P. Meinecke have shown that on 
the most favorable sites few trees below the age of 150 years are 
affected with dry-rot. It is probable, therefore, that with proper 
sanitation and adequate protection from fire little loss need be feared 
before this age is reached. This is sufficient time under ordinary 
conditions for cedar to grow to a diameter of about 2 feet. Under 
proper silvicultural treatment this size can be increased materially 
without exceeding the rotation thus established. 
While under natural conditions incense cedar does not reach ma- 
turity until about the three hundred and forty-fifth year, it reaches 
merchantability, or a diameter of 28 inches, in about 200 years, and 
under favorable conditions for growth, such as might be expected 
to prevail in managed stands, in 150 years. This estimate is con- 
