10 
 
 A'3, £ i j 
 
 : 
 
 SIMM. Or FOKlSIkY LlBRARf 
 
 JAN 2 6 1954 
 
 «IIY Of FLORIDA 
 
 !1 ■ ', hivesion of Silvi 
 
 8 
 
 2 
 Products Labor? ;ory,— Forest Ser 
 
 0*. S • Dopar 
 
 Most of the timber cut 1 .ster 
 
 ore form or anot . r , Jid oven in ' second-growth Dou ; 
 
 l pondero.£ 3 arc 1 ' ;ut concterciall , ~ 
 
 also. Experience ov r y c . it the F 
 
 Products Laboratory have re 1 1^. number of difforenocs 
 
 aid old- rev: th :.r. Although a shar .i ■ c Lnot alw 
 
 :een second grow old growth, it is recognized that second r h in 
 
 roneral has oharac b 3ristica w 
 
 ch differ materially from those of old 
 
 In a number of respects seer. is inferior, ■ 
 
 than virgin growth. 
 
 4 old 
 in a few it is " ■: ster 
 
 following are so::e of the differences . md-groi d old- 
 
 •owth timber. As a rule, sec - rowth trees are small n cut, have 
 
 more taper, yield a lq r ? ;age of clear lumber, have voider s'apw 3d 
 produce little or no 3d - rain lunl .• . rhe -.rood is coarser 'ed, 
 
 softwoods is more likely ~,z contain pronounced cor : :rossion wood, and ir. 
 
 hardwoods is more difficult 
 density. 
 
 ;o work and shrinks mere on account of its er 
 
 On the other hand, second-growth ' her usual! i; ] r knots, 
 
 loss pronounced spiral : ' i z = spiral n in increases in slo 
 diameter, has less heart rot, frequent!; re "in ar :ods — 
 
 desirable property for most uses of hi ■ , ash ? 1 , so - ■ -- ' 
 
 harder and wears more s ioc ;hly, ind is more r Lly tr ! -ith 
 
 ■eservatives on account of tl ; s 1] re b'ago of he irtwood It contains. 
 
 In fact, second growth of so - ;a" ly Eastern v..' he, 
 
 dcypress, low-pop! :. 'er ut from ole r it is 
 
 not used or suita" le for -poses. 
 
 1\ ' ' st-approachii : -ion of ■ and gr ■ refine- 
 
 bs in wood utilization, the need .or continued and more exacting 
 
 -■ for j r .at ion before i . ice on Staig__and Fe 
 
 Pro Research Programs . son, ,7is.. l£--2 
 
 - ■ 
 
 lined Lison '■' , ,'h . , in ioc ration x 
 
 Wisconsin* 
 
 . -3 -.-•• 
 
investigation' of second growth is apparent* .Thile in some cases informa- 
 tion obtained on one species nay be applied to another, tho large number of 
 species entering into the lumber markets makes necessary a well-rounded store 
 oi' information on oach species, if it is to be used most advantageously* 
 
 Investigations of the characteristics of second gro.vth should have t.,-o 
 objectives. The first is to determine tho characteristics and properties 
 of wood so that it can be marketed and used to best advantage* For example, 
 engineer a should know how the strength of second growth varies and how it 
 compares with that of old gro.-rth* Timberland owners and sawmill c r - ors 
 should know more about the percentage of different grades of lumber 
 produced by second growth. Pulp mill executives should fcjiov --bout its pulp- 
 ing characteristics. Smaller "cimber also presents new problems - ", 
 especially in mechanizing operations* Furthermore, small of tr^^s 
 [uire different methods of utilization cither by using smaller sizes on 
 tho job or fabricating larger sizes from smaller pieces. On account of the 
 larger percentage of sapwood in second growth the quest for ch. r - '.ore 
 efficient preservative methods will become more urgent. Those who s 
 lumber will want to know how to reduce degrade due to knots, uric tendency to 
 cup and twist, which often is groator in second growth. Tho cutting of 
 venoor from the relatively small second-growth logs presents new problems in 
 technique. As competition becomes more keen, the selection of wood for 
 specific uses will require greater refinements, and these in turn will be 
 complicated by the wide variations to which young timber is subject. 
 
 The other objective in research on second-growth timber is to determine the 
 quality of wood produced under different growth conditions in order that 
 foresters can manage young stands so that the best possible wood consistent 
 with economical procedure may be obtained. In the past practically all the 
 emphasis in growing timber has been on producing as great a volume as possible 
 per acre. More attention needs to be paid to quality production. In old 
 growth there always has been an excess of low-grade timber. In second grarth 
 there will be an even greater surplus unless forest management practices are 
 oriented towards producing better lumber and utilization practices are modi- 
 fied so that more low-grade lumber can be used efficiently. 
 
 Some important results have already been obtained along these linos at the 
 Forest products Laboratory. It has been shown that strong Southern pine 
 timber cannot be produced unless the trees have sufficient soil moisture 
 available during summer to produce adequate amounts of summer. rood -- no use 
 trying to produce dense timber on -.veil-drained sandy soil. Hickory, ac . 
 and hardwoods must maintain a yocd rate of growth throughout their life if 
 they are to produce strong wood all the way out to the bark. Certain species 
 growing in the southern swamps, particularly ash, water tupelo, and 
 cypress, produce swelled butts with light, S] . ooc .. j-sirable 
 
 properties; whereas cedar sin growing under similar conditions produces 
 normal wood throughout the trunk* 
 
 Although there are no handle factories in Wisoonsin, seoond-growth white ash 
 
 in this State was found to have adequate toughness for handles, which 
 
 js possible new local industries* Open-grown sugar maple is much 
 donscr than for rown -- in fact, the density is similar to that of 
 
 Report No* Rl6lG-3 -2- 
 
dcp.vood — and it seems to -factory substitute for t] i b - 
 
 for shuttles. The conditions favoring the development of compression wood, 
 which is produced on the lever side of leaning Ptwood trees, it- *c »r- 
 bies, and methods for its detection by ] ' .ve teen studied so that 
 timfa r r • ' sers e made ' ie seriousness of its 
 deficiencies* . , Laboratory is now studying bhe character is bier 
 eccentric growth in hardwoods. Tine does not permit goin£ into ■ .or 
 ;ailj but it may be ss Id thai «e are many problems in the relation; 
 of growth conditions bo wood quality that should be investigated Lf 
 returns from timber lands and maximum satisfaction from bimber • its are 
 to be obtained. 
 
 The forester has a number of factors under his control that can . .0 
 improve the quality of the timber he is growing. Some of the&e are: (1) 
 choioe of species to favor on a particular site a:id for specific uses, '■. 
 choice being based on the probable intrinsic value of the second r 
 reduced under certain conditions rather than on bhe reput ition of bhe • 
 hj (2) density of stand which greatly affects rate of dial : r jrowth 
 with all of its influences on properties, tar -•, aiottiness, size at a 
 given age, percentage of heartwood, etc.; (3) reduction in inj s by fire, 
 insects, and loggin ; and (*}•) prunin . 
 
 This is a larr;e field for investigation requiring the combined efforts of 
 field and laboratory organizations. '.Then one considers the differences in 
 price of lower and upper ;r ies of lumber ... ■ percentage of lev/ 
 grade produced by most second growth ever, a slj 1 improvement in v:ood 
 quality through improved-management research along chose lines should be 
 a profitable undertakin '. 
 
 art he. tlblO- 
 
RSITY OF FLORIDA 
 
 " iiiii 
 
 3 1262 08924 4 510