Treesearch

A procedure is shown for measuring external tree characteristics that are important in determining the current and future quality of young hardwood trees. This guide supplements a precious study which describes the quality classification system for young hardwood trees

Studies of half-sib progeny tests of sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) and clonal plantings of eastern cottonwood (Populus deltoides) in Mississippi indicate that rate of wound closure and size of discolored columns associated with the wounds are both heritable traits. Both are independent of stem diameter, which was used as a measure of tree vigor in these studies. Selection for rate of closure would not be useful, but selection for compartmentalization of discoloration and decay resulting from wounding would be valuable in forest and amenity trees and could be applied immediately to...

Diameter-limit cutting is widely used to harvest logs in eastern hardwoods. Studies show that cutting limits are often set so low that they sacrifice financial returns. The value of lumber cut from logs is largely dependent on the diameter, grade, and tree species. As tree size increases so does the proportion of higher grade lumber, and this is reflected in improved log grades. Small trees, even though they are of sawlog size, saw out little high-grade lumber. The maximum grade log that can be obtained from a 12-inch dbh tree is a 3, which produces little quality lumber. On the other...

Natural and weevil-larva-induced crystallization of oleoresin from 45 eastern white pine trees with known resin acid and monoterpene composition, and from 59 pairs of nonweeviled and heavily weeviled trees from the same seed sources, was examined in mid- and late spring. Very little difference was found between larva-induced and natural crystallization. Strobic acid-usually the major resin acid found in the cortical oleoresin of eastern white pine-was positively correlated with the rate and extent of crystallization. Crystallization of oleoresin from the same trees varied greatly between...

Fertilizers applied in spring can stimulate production of black cherry and red maple seeds in Allegheny hardwood stands. Increased seed production begins in the year after application, but lasts only about 2 years. However, fertilizers do not increase seed production of individual black cherry trees that have a history of poor production, and they do not eliminate seed crop failures, affect seed soundness, or influence the time of seed dispersal.

A hardwood shortage of high-grade lumber exists while there is a surplus of low-grade hardwood timber. Two things are needed for the surplus to correct the shortage: a new manufacturing system and a new marketing technique. Utilization research at the Princeton Forestry Sciences Laboratory has developed the new system for converting low-grade hardwood for furniture use. The manufacturing steps can be integrated with the existing marketing system from the timber grower to the logger to the sawmiller to the dimension maker to the furniture producer.