Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1905-11-17
MAY CUT TIMBER ON
FOREST RESERVE
Regulations Prescribed by the
Government Under Which
Timber Is Sold.

The increased demand for the pur-
chase Of timber from the forest re-
serves has called for detailed working
plans for the more important timbered
areas within them. In order to avoid
delay without jeopardizing the future
welfare of the forest, and that these
working plans may be we'll considered
they are being made as rapidly as pos.
sible for those forest areas from
which the sale of timber is probable
in the near future In many cases
they are made before the actual appli-
cation for purchase is received.
Those who purchase timber from
the Government are required to oh.
serve Forest Service regulations in
logging which guard against waste
and provide for the reproduction OF
the forest. Considerable variety
exists in the character and require.
ments Of the forest in any one reserve
80 that each working plan must be
based ON a close study of local con
ditions.
When setting about the preparations
OF one Of these plans the first question
Is, What areas in the reserve are
adapted to the same scheme of
management After these areas have
been selected they are thoroughly
studied from every aspect
The location of the timber is noted
and rough estimate is made of its
amuont. Then the character and CON
dition Of the stand are carefully de-
iermined. Its age, over-ripeness, in.
jury from fire or insects, the possibil-
ity of improving it by logging, and
the kind and amount of young growth
are principal points, all of which
must b. taken into consideration in
settling whether it is advisable or
inadvisable to cut
The question Of markets, aud the
logging facilities, are also taken into
account, as well as the present local
demand for timber, the probable
future demand, and the kind of tim
Der required. In connection with
these problems attention must be
given to the nature OF the country,
the accessibility of the timber, and
the existing roads and drivable
streams, because the actual value OF
the timber is in large measure de.
pendent upon the ease and economy of
its removal.
Reproduction. by which alone the
forest can maintain itself, is essential
where logging is to be done. For
this reason the reproductive capacity
of the forest is noted with careful de.
tail, and the effect which fire and
grazing may have upon it becomes a
question of the first importance.
The data, therefore, which the
working plan study has gathered form
the basis of the terms of the contract
in agreement with which the pur.
chaser OF Government timber removes
the timber which he has purchased.
These terms include the diameter
limit below which the timber NAV not
be cut the number of seed trees OF
various species which must be left to
reseed the ground, the maximum
height at which the stumps may be
cut, and the diameter to which the
tops must be utilized, snd other
stipulations insuring clean, ConseIva
tive logging. Especially, also they
provide for the disposition of the
slash, so that the forest floor may
safely De cleaned of infammable
material on which uncomfortable
forest fires might feed
The restrictions imposed by the
Forest Service upon timber purchasers
are meeting with the intelligent ap.
proval of all who are performing log
ging operations under them. 1t is
more and more clearly understood
that they are necessary for the per
manent good of the forest that they
are of a purely practical stamp aud
that their observance means the con
tinued productivity of the forest and
therefore the outstanding OF the tim
Der supply and all that depends upon
IL