Show PRODUCTION OF TIMBER Nations Nation's Timber Forage Output Increased by Extensive Research Uncle Sams Sam's foresters arc are workIng workIng working work- work Ing harder than ever devising new ways to produce more timber for defense and to increase the forage production of the nations nation's range lands In 61 research centers experimental ex cx- forests and 14 experimental experimental mental ranges forest service research research re re- re search men are conducting many different studies At the Fort Valley experimental forest in northern Arizona researchers researchers re re- re- re searchers discovered t that hat h a t the growth rate of ponderosa pine can be doubled l if stands are cut lightly lightly light light- ly h- hevery every 10 to 20 years rather than cut heavily every 40 to GO 60 years Ridding southern pine stands of overtopping hardwoods pays off oft the research center at Crossett Ark decided Ten years ago they cut or girdled all hardwoods two inches and up in diameter on an experimental plot Growth of the released pines has been so rapid that a thinning out was made this year The control of forest fires fires' has long been a part of the Forest Service research program Methods of determining the fire danger each day have been worked out and are used regularly by forest administrators tors to help them judge how many men need to be on fire ire duty each day and how many men they need to send to the fires that occur i i A US U.S. forest researchers report that bugs and disease take a afar afar afar far greater toll of timber than fire Thc They arc are In constant search of means of protecting the nations nation's forests BUGS AND DISEASE take a bigger toll oIl of timber than fire At the Institute of Forest Genetics in Placerville Calif geneticists are producing trees that will resist disease and insects They have developed developed de de- de a cross between the Jeffrey Jeffrey Jef Jef- frey and Coulter pines that withstands withstands withstands with with- stands attacks from the tho pine reproduction reproduction reproduction re re- re- re production weevil A cross between eastern white pine and Himalayan pine show great resistance to bUster blister blister blis bUs ter rust In working toward a better range forest service technicians have taken taken taken tak tak- en abandoned farmland that was a dead loss and converted it ft to productive productive pro pro- grazing land On idle fields fields near the Bitterroot Valley of Montana Montana Mon Mon- tana foresters used a preparatory crop method of seedbed tion They planted wheat or barley the first year Then they sowed crested wheatgrass in the grain stubble This method of planting controlled the troublesome cheat cheat- grass that often causes failures in such ranges and also netted a profit of ot an acre Water runoff experiments have been conducted at many research stations At the experimental experimental mental station in North Carolina research men have studied the effects effects ef ef- ef of various types of timber cutting and land use on the flow of water They have discovered that the from rom a watershed watershed water water- shed can be materially increased by removing those trees which waste a great deal of water in transpiration They are also running running running run run- ning a small farm to see what effect ef- ef feet traditional hillside farming fanning has hason hason hason on water runoff and soil erosion To aid industry the Forest Products Products Products Prod Prod- Laboratory at Madison Wise developed a new process for pulping pulping pulp pulp- ing hardwoods which is simpler and less costly than the chemical pulping pulping pulping pulp pulp- ing processes They found that over over- mature fir Douglas-fir timber infected with a pitting called white pocket can be used for construction pur par poses Other forest service researchers conduct surveys of forest lands to determine how much timber is available in this country Their reports reports reports re re- re- re ports have been valuable to the National Security Resources Board in determining what forest resources are available for national defense The reports have als also aided wood using industries in finding suitable locations near raw materials The work of the research foresters forest forest- ers is vital not only in the defense program but also in everyday liv liv- ing Their findings are the property property property prop prop- erty of the American people Research Research Research Re Re- search foresters welcome visitors issue free publications and make their studies known through national forest administrators extension service workers state agencies industries industries industries in in- and farm foresters |