Show What Is Meant by Timber of VIRGIN GROWTH often call for or vir virgin i SPECIFICATIONS growth or second growth timber timber- yet the r terms are without fixed significance and the material when delivered cannot be positively id identified identified iden iden- n. n a as belonging to one class or the other Virgin growth aso called first growth or orold orold old growth means timber which grew up in a standing forest under conditions condition of active com cant competition petition for sunlight and moisture Second growth which applied to a forest stand usually means timber whose main growing period occurred under conditions of lessened competition competition competition com com- petition after all or a portion of oJ the original stand had been removed by cutting fire fire wind or other means In connection with individual al trees the term is used to mean any whose growing conditions conditions conditions con con- approximated those which would produce a second growth stand To the wood user second second sec ond growth means material cut from either of these sources In general the term is associated with the idea of a second crop of timber though specific applications may vary Virgin growth is generally thought of as slow growing timber while fcc second md growth due to more favorable conditions is relatively rapid A faster rate of growth is evinced by wider annual annual an an- nual rings These are popularly supposed to in indicate indicate indicate in- in stronger and tougher wood in the hardwoods hardwoods hard hard- w woods such as ash hickory elm and oak and aid weaker and brashy wood in the conifers such as pine and fir Hence for uses in which strength and toughness are essential sec second nd growth is sought t among the hardwoods whereas in conifers virgin growth is desired t i. i As a second growth forest attains maturity the rate rat of growth slows up and the annual rings may be no wider than in virgin growth timber of the same size On the other hand when a slow- slow growing suppressed forest tree is freed fifed by removing removing re ro re- re moving the neighboring trees it may nay grow glow rapidly rapid rapid- ly for a long period Therefore it is possible to have some wood with the characteristics of virgin growth and some with those of second growth in inthe inthe inthe the same tree Furthermore individual trees in is ina isa a virgin growth forest may have the characteristics characteristics character character- of second growth throughout and vice versa versa- |