THE SOUTHERN CYPRESS, 63 
trees and will produce a higher average grade of timber. Since 
cypress seeds frequently and in good quantity, seedlings may be 
expected to fill in the blank spaces left. 
Thinning or selective cutting for ties, poles, etc., or taking the larger 
trees down to a diameter limit of from 14 to 18 inches, can be prac- 
ticed as a rule in ponds and small inland swamps, because of their 
accessibility during fali dry weather, and the ease with which small 
skidding engines mounted on runners can be moved and set up along 
their margins. On account of unfavorable conditions, growth is 
relatively slow in shallow undrained cypress ponds. 
PROFITABLENESS OF GROWING CYPRESS POLES. 
The profitableness of growing cypress on short rotations, reck- 
oning on the basis of present prices, promises a rather better showing 
for poles than for ties and possibly also than for saw timber. 
In 60 years second-growth cypress trees will yield poles 30 to 32 
feet long, 6 inches at the top and about 14 inches at the butt. Such 
poles are worth in stumpage from 25 to 50 cents apiece. In 100 
years 40-foot poles about 8 inches at the top end are obtained, worth 
at present about $1 each in the tree. Average well-stocked, pure 
stands, 50 to 75 years old, contain approximately from 250 to 350 
trees per acre. The stumpage value in poles at current prices will 
amount to $75 to $150 per acre at 60 years, or $200 to $300 at 100 
years. Figuring on a 60-year rotation: 
WPS RNTS SS SEAS Se Se pes pene Sg asin agi erate EI RN etre A PY el Uae $82. 48 
Taxes at 2 cents annually compounded for 60 years at 6 per cent.........--- 10. 66 
93. 14 
This indicates the profitableness of holding young cypress for 
poles on lands, with an average value of $2.50 per acre and assessed 
at 60 per cent of their real value. At a stumpage production of 
$100 an acre for fully stocked natural stands a profit of a little over 
6 per cent, compounded annually, will be realized at the end of 60 
years. In case artificial stocking 1s necessary by planting seedlings, 
costing $6 an acre, on land valued at $2.50 per acre, the same crop 
will produce a net profit on the total investment of about 4 per cent, 
compounded annually. 
From the values given above it is clear that growing cypress poles 
on a 100-year rotation would be less profitable, even starting with 
fully stocked natural stands, than on a 60-year rotation. Similar 
calculations indicate that it would be comparatively unprofitable 
to grow ties except for the reduced cost of getting them to market. 
The promise of success in growing cypress is greater on small tracts 
near local markets and also where water logging is possible. 
1 About 1.7 times the assessed taxation value of $1.50 per acre. 
