LELAND SPEED PLANTATION AT AGE 14
On 8 November 1994 we remeasured the research plots in the Leland Speed
Plantation after the thinning at age 12 and a total of 14 growing seasons
on the site and, as usual, sent the data to be analyzed by the scientists
at Virginia Tech.
They have reported that, on the basis of the data from these three plots,
average stand per acre is now as follows:
|
DBH Class
|
Number Trees
|
Average Height
|
Basal Area
|
Cu. Ft. o.b.
|
Cords To 4.in
|
bd.ft. Doyle
|
|
8
|
18.7
|
55.8
|
6.8
|
178
|
1.8
|
-
|
|
9
|
44.2
|
58.2
|
19.9
|
538
|
5.6
|
-
|
|
10
|
39.1
|
60.0
|
20.8
|
580
|
.0
|
1,175
|
|
11
|
33.1
|
60.4
|
22.1
|
618
|
.0
|
1,381
|
|
12
|
24.6
|
62.1
|
19.0
|
544
|
.0
|
1,316
|
|
13
|
6.8
|
62.3
|
6.0
|
172
|
.0
|
86
|
|
14
|
.8
|
68.8
|
.9
|
29
|
.0
|
86
|
|
TOTAL
|
167.4
| |
95.4
|
2,659
|
7.4
|
4,403
|
We are pleased to report that this stand is close to predicted levels; in
other words, it confirms that PTAEDA2V, the growth-and-yield model that
we have been using for years, makes accurate predictions. We therefore believe
that its prediction of the yield at age 22, when the stand will be clearcut,
will also be accurate.
This prediction is as follows:
|
DBH Class
|
Number Trees
|
Average Height
|
Basal Area
|
Cu. Ft. o.b.
|
Cords To 4.in
|
bd.ft. Doyle
|
|
9
|
4.3
|
71.7
|
1.9
|
64
|
.7
|
-
|
|
10
|
17.0
|
77.1
|
9.4
|
334
|
.0
|
766
|
|
11
|
42.5
|
79.9
|
28.2
|
1,042
|
.0
|
2,657
|
|
12
|
32.3
|
83.1
|
25.3
|
969
|
.0
|
2,736
|
|
13
|
27.2
|
83.6
|
25.4
|
980
|
.0
|
3,043
|
|
14
|
27.2
|
85.3
|
29.0
|
1,140
|
.0
|
3,832
|
|
15
|
13.6
|
86.4
|
16.9
|
671
|
.0
|
2,464
|
|
16
|
2.5
|
87.1
|
3.4
|
138
|
.0
|
531
|
|
17
|
.8
|
93.6
|
1.3
|
56
|
.0
|
243
|
|
TOTAL
|
167.4
| |
140.8
|
5,394
|
.7
|
16,272
|
Timber prices have risen sharply since the remeasurement at age 12 and have
reached levels that may not be sustained. If, however, they do remain the
same until the harvest at age 22, the stand will yield a net of more than
$5,000 per acre to Mr. Speed. If this sum seems almost unbelievable to you,
it may be because you have failed to comprehend fully the powerful impact
of modern tree-growing technology.
We videotape the stand during each remeasurement and can show you how it
developed. Here is a summary of per-acre volume data at each age:
Age Trees Height DBH Basal Area Cu.ft.ob. Cords Bd Ft, Doyle
|
Age
|
Number Trees
|
Height
|
DBH
|
Basal Area
|
Cu.ft.ob
|
Cords To 4.in
|
bd.ft. Doyle
|
|
8
|
303
|
37
|
6.8
|
80
|
1,475
|
13
|
138
|
|
10
|
303
|
42
|
7.4
|
96
|
1,969
|
16
|
696
|
|
12
|
302
|
50
|
8.3
|
120
|
2,914
|
19
|
2,100
|
|
Thin
|
135
|
48
|
7.2
|
40
|
958
|
9
|
-
|
|
12*
|
167
|
52
|
9.3
|
80
|
1,956
|
10
|
2,100
|
|
14
|
167
|
60
|
10.1
|
95
|
2,659
|
7
|
4,403
|
*After thinning
|
