From these figures it will have become evident that the hardwood forest of the Adirondacks-and this is a fair average sample—is not a great bonanza to work in after the merchantable pine and spruce is

removed.

More than half the logs (1,206) were under 12 in. in diameter with 39,000 ft. B. M., showing what enormous waste in material (30 per cent.) results in the customary logging with a 12 inch standard.

The following table shows the number of logs of different diameters furnished by trees of different diameters, the diameters measured on the stump, about two feet above the ground. In this connection it may be noted that the majority of the older trees at least have rotten hearts in the lower portions, and hence it would be a waste to insist upon low stumps, unless reasonable assurance of soundness exists cases additional cordwood lengths have to be trimmed from the base of butt logs to come to a sound enough heart.

In most

MATERIAL FURNISHED BY TREes of diffERENT DIAMETERS IN LOGS BELOW 12" AND OVER 12" IN DIAMETER AT THE UPPER END.

It will appear from this table that, of course, no trees of diameters of 12" and less furnish any material of 12 logs, that then the proportion of logs over 12" rises until with trees of a 16" diameter about half the logs are over 12"; then the increase of this class rises sharply to 4 in the 17 and 18" trees, and after the diameter of 22" is reached practically no more logs below 12" are furnished, showing that the larger boles of these larger trees are of even taper and the heavy crown splits up from a full bodied bole.

The practical interest of the table lies in showing that where a 12′′ standard for logs is to prevail, it would not be proper policy to cut trees below 17′′ diameter, when at least 75 per cent. of the bole timber meets that standard, for otherwise the loss of material would be too considerable. A number of other practical deductions which would lead us too far in this report to detail may be, and will be, made from the table for the working plans of the forest.

Do Small Logs Pay?

It is claimed by contractors that it does not pay to move logs below the 12 inch diameter. This depends, to be sure, largely upon conditions under which the logging is performed, the manner of skidding and market conditions. A careful account kept during the sample cutting showed that the average cost per log under the conditions imposed by the care for young growth, and in summer, for cutting and skidding was 17.2 cents, the average log containing, according to the scaler's inspection, 57% ft. It will be admitted that to cut and move the small logs costs somewhat less than to cut and move the large ones. Hence it may be fair to charge the 1,072 large ones, over 12 inches, with say 19 cents; the 1,200 small ones with 15%1⁄2 cents; when the cost per M for the former will be $2.25, for the latter $4.80. If, however, the latter in skidding are coupled in twos or threes or are cut so as to contain 65 feet instead of 32 feet in the average, the cost at once comes into more reasonable relation to that for larger logs; for then, even at the average rate of 17 cents per log, the cost per M. is $2.60.

In the case of the College Forest, where the material is to be fully utilized, the question could only be whether it pays better to hold out logs or to cut into cordwood, and the writer became convinced that, if in small logs 50 feet of sound material could be moved in one haul, it was more profitable to hold out logs; this requirement would be fulfilled by two 8 inch logs of 16 feet or two 8 foot logs of 10 inches diameter, provided they are absolutely sound.

Cordwood.

Besides the log timber there were harvested 499 cords of hardwood for retort and fuel purposes, taking all sound material to 3 inches in diameter, 19.2 cords per acre in 50 inch billets, equal to a round 20 standard cords, and one-half cord per tree in the average. In addition there were harvested 60 cords of brushwood, down to 1 inch diameter, which does not, however, represent all that could have been secured, and 190 cords or over 7 cords per acre of more or less doty wood from old logs and rotten trees, which may be utilized for limekiln purposes.

The 20 cords represent about 1,800 cubic feet of solid wood, while the 5,030 feet of logs represent only 790 cubic feet. In other words, the cordwood furnishes in cubic contents more than 24 times the amount of the logs per acre, and it is expected will furnish double the profit which the logs are expected to yield. Hence the great importance which has been given to the necessity of establishing a market for the cordwood.

Another lesson may be derived from this investigation. The 2,600 cubic feet of wood per acre, to which an addition of 800 feet for the culled spruce and the remaining material would be a very ample allowance-these 3,400 cubic feet have been produced by the virgin forest in an unknown period, but, as the age of the trees which furnish the bulk of the product indicates not less than 175 to 200 years-this volume would have been produced under common silvicultual methods in less than one-half the time, and probably, if pine and spruce are made the main crop, twice the amount of material could be harvested in one hundred years.

Other Hardwood Species.

Besides the three leading hardwoods to which this discussion mainly refers, there were found a few soft maples, ashes, elms and black cherries. The last three most valuable species which occur so sporadically in the virgin forest are the ones to which the forester should give special attention with a view of increasing their proportion; they are perfectly at home and appear sporadically only because they are most intolerant of shade and hence in the struggle for life the shade enduring species in the long run occupy the ground, preventing the young progeny of the former from developing except in an occasional opening. It will be proper policy not only to leave all the seed trees of these species, which may be found in good condition, but to increase by artificial means the admixture of these more valuable species.