FAYETTE EXPERIMENT FOREST NiAGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION a AU BU RN E" V. Smith, Director . UNI V ER SIT Y Auiburn, Alabama PROJECTS AT THE FAYETTE EXPERIMENT FOREST 1 Code 0.01 8.612 7.752 Date 1944 1950 1950 1950 1950 1951 1951 1951 1953 1953 1954 1957 1959 1960 1962 7.143 7.15 1.473 1.46 5.743 7.151-3 5.4122 3 6.73 5.75 5.16 7.17 Description Research in silviculture, utilization and management of small woodland areas in Fayette County. Methods of peeling and service test of posts. Growth and utilization of Arizona Cypress Christmas trees. Controlling undesirable hardwoods with ammate. Mixed plantations of loblolly and slash pine. Use of fire and poisons to maintain and regenerate stands of loblolly. Returns from the production of fence posts from thinnings. Improvement of growth and quality of rundown shortleaf loblolly forests. Effects of site preparation on the cultivation and growth of old field plantings of yellow poplar. Soil study on 7.15. Growth of root pruned pine seedlings. Cone production of loblolly pine in Ala. Upper Coastal Plains in relation to time and degree of release. Hardwoods to pine conversion. Effect of seed bed preparation on survival and early growth of yellow poplar. Improving mixed hardwood stands. Nat. Natural areas. 1 See map for location of projects. 2 Assistance given to others using the forest. 3 Completed. FIRST PRINTING 2M, AUGUST 1963 FAYETTE EXPERIMENT FOREST SHERMAN Associate D. WHIPPLE Forester INTRODUCTION Description of Area of Influence. The Fayette Experiment Forest of the Auburn University Agricultural Experiment Station System is representative of a region that includes a wide strip from the north central part of Mississippi through north central Alabama and central Georgia. The immediate area originates in the Upper Coastal Plain Soils where its representative timber types and problems extend into Piedmont and Lower Mountain Soils. The area is largely hilly with narrow ridges and interspersed with narrow stream bottoms. Forestry Problem. The main forestry problem is the natural invasion of hardwood species that do not produce quality timber at good growth rates as compared with the southern yellow pines, particularly loblolly and shortleaf pines. Most of the area is best suited to growing pines but some of it is capable of producing high quality hardwoods. Location and Association. The Fayette Experiment Forest is located 9 miles north of Fayette, Alabama, on U.S. Highway 43. The forest is one of four units used for research and maintained by the Department of Forestry, Agricultural Experiment Station System, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama. Sf, iT\ iC Tt SIG. i. shown here is regrowtqh of hardwoods following clearcutting. Establishmrent. The land was pu11rchasedi l)\Alal at Polyxtechva tic Intstitutte (uo0W Aubtnt Ijti\ (rsit\ ) fromi local latIlhdxx iers. sex c'ral of whom had ab~andoned their lantd for crop) prtoductiont. .A residen t forester wxas assi mO ed to the 1(1a\ ette forest in 19-46 atid a techntlical assistant wxas add~edl int 1954. It is the larg.est of the four forest untits of Autbuirn Univ ersitx atid the onix onie that is moannted bfesident personinil. DESCRIPTION Area. The forest project wxas estal ish~ed ini 1941 wx at origth itnal pitrch ase of 910 acres. Addititotnal putrch ases ini 1946 in creased the atrca to the present total of abot 1,400 acres. Botuntdaries ate irtegitlar butt all the landl is in onie tix e tttiit. At fpresetit the adltiitistra- ar-ca cotnsists of 10 acres, w il c roads, ri ghts-of-waxan a small pond( occutpy aniother 25 acr es. The iitiing are i xatious stages of timbler p~rodutction. 1,:365 acres Condition. At the tine of pu rchase, the forest cotnsisted of cu t-ox er, burnettd-oxver, low-grade statn(1 of 1l1)1o11 x-shortleaf pities anid mliscellanieouts hardwoods. A large p~ortiotn of the forest hadI oni]N scattered or nto trees of mnerch atntal e size'. A 1 )proxiutt atel'. :3.5 pe-r cent of merchantable sizes itn better stand~s cotnsisted of [4t1 culls or undesirable species with low values. Desirable reproduction was unsatisfactory on 60 per cent of the area. Basal areas averaged under 20 sq. ft. and merchantable volumes approximately 600 bd. ft. (Int. 1/4" Rule) per acre. Present Timber Types. Present natural timber types are largely loblolly-shortleaf, pine-hardwoods (oak and hickory) with areas of oak-hickory, pure loblolly pine, mixed hardwoods and pine, white oak, and yellow poplar. The latter two types are limited to the upper ends of a few narrow stream bottoms. Age classes range from 0 to 60 years. Even and uneven aged stands are represented. Early plantations were mostly loblolly or slash pine with only two small areas of longleaf. Later plantations have generally been loblolly. Forest Soils and Site Conditions. The Fayette Experiment Forest is entirely in the Upper Coastal Plain soil region. It is characterized by narrow ridge tops, fairly steep slopes, and narrow winding valleys. The soils are derived from thick beds of acid sand and clay marine sediments. Most of the soils are well or moderately well-drained. The dominant soils on the narrow ridge tops have 6 to 12 inches of brown or dark brown fine sandy loam surface layers over 18 to 30 inches of yellowish red to dark red friable sandy clay loam. These are underlain by dark brown to red sandy loam or loamy sand material. The steep slopes have a complex soil. The dominant ones have grayish brown to pale brown sandy loam surface layers 8 to 15 inches deep. The subsoils of half of the area are yellowish red sandy clay loam 18 to 24 inches thick over dark brown sandy loam or loamy sand. The subsoils of most of the remainder of the steep slopes are brown to red firm silty clay loam to clay 8 inches deep and underlain by mottled gray, red and brown silty clay or clay. About 5 per cent of the soil types consist of sand and gravel several feet in depth. The soils in the narrow valleys consist of well to imperfectly drained sandy or loamy material ranging from 3 to 6 or more feet deep. Elevations range from 400 to 600 feet above sea level. Most slopes have less than 100 feet difference in elevation from top to bottom. Climatic Conditions. The annual precipitation averages 53 inches per year with extremes from 40 to 75 inches. Mean annual temperature is 61.4°F. with extremes of -15'F. to 108°F. An average of 231 days are frost free. [5] FOREST POLICY of operationi for this for (st wxas begoi1i it) wxas dlcsignied to stid\ arid e'\ alijatc reprodll ction , (Froxvth, quality, and~ comlpositioni of stanids 1res1iltini" front1 (liffeorenit nittods of hliaiili iiatiiral stanids; to deterinle the -I on~.ziial plai li 1945. TheI promram~ econic)iis of ('stalllislill". prod11clilIg, anid uitiliziiitf artificial stand~s of p~inc; andi to diex lop at profitab~le use for inferior bhardFunction. TheC prelimliniary mlaluageIItlt planl o1 p)olice had twxo objectkc s: (1) to condu1 ct ('xtel siX researclh ini forest iiaua(rellliit as relatedl to smtall hld(iI ts; and~ (2) to conduI ct in~teniskc research ini silX iciiltiiie aliI uitilizationi. A\llresearclh oni tihe uniit, whcni so flicicn tix a(X ai cedh, gOX (' resiulits oni forestix proIhlcfls (If the areai or relatedl areas. lrmlo cd bIX sale of stItiII1a~eon11 anl a(k crimb~ler is (reira tisedl b~id b asis. Most timbiler produ~cts ini the past lia%° b'leenld( 'hclre l(icesav 1 ecal ise of sp~eci fic research to l(ocal operators. projeocts orl special saIX a11e. local telilporar\ labo(r is liried to) help tile onli 1,1111-time labo(rer relmlIX special p~rodul~cts under the foresters s 5 1)rX isionl FIG. 2. Most of the overstory in this area, management for a better stand. unit 2, has been marked 16 Objectives. The main objectives for current studies are as follows: (1) To study in natural stands the effects of different methods of cutting, thinning, and release on: (a) The reproduction and growth of pine and hardwoods (b) The rate of timber growth (c) The quality of timber (d) The immediate and ultimate composition of stands (2) To study the economics of planting, developing, and utilizing artificial stands of pine on abandoned fields or denuded areas. (3) To study methods and costs of eradicating inferior type hardwoods and of establishing desirable softwoods by natural or artificial means. RESEARCH PROGRAM Management. The average farm woodlot today is a poor producer. Yet the woodland owner would like to have his timber producing a good return-but he wants to do it within the income of the forest area involved, that is to say, pay its own way. Extensive management and economic studies were the first to be established. Woodland Management. A woodland management study was established on 5 forest units in 1951 ranging in size from 80 to 240 acres and totalling 720 acres. The objectives of this study were to improve the quantity and quality of growing stock and to produce the largest quantity of high quality forest products possible while keeping the cultural costs within the income from these units. The initial improvement cuttings removed trees that were defective, wolfish, diseased (especially littleleaf-diseased shortleaf pines) and poor species crowding desirable reproduction. Cull trees over 3 inches in diameter and undesirable hardwoods were removed where desirable reproduction was present in satisfactory numbers. Other treatments were aimed at converting areas that were understocked to satisfactory stocking by using herbicides to eradicate weed trees, then planting or seeding desirable species. Data from the operation on one unit as shown in Table 1 are fairly representative of the area. Results indicate that even a rundown forest of loblolly-shortleaf pine and hardwoods can be improved in a 10-year period and still produce some net returns. [7] -- - STATE HIGHWAY COUNTY ROADS ------FOREST ROADS STREAMS FOREST BOUNDARY O HEADQUARTERS (OFFICE) /////////// 1.46 MANAGEMENT UNITS (1-5) \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ NATURAL AREAS I I 9 I 1 1 1 1 1 1 TO FAYETTE I I I I I I I I I "1'.- tit.r: I. lit.sct. rs cn Ill YIr; Ics ot, Exrr:,Nsn I AL .ua)51.1)0 1,92) )Al) .S-1 2(5.00) 10(62.00) 700).00) S?,1 I 6.o o -3 1:1.7 .55.0) 70.14) acrttei 02_1.i 145.1 51 .( As a comtparisoni to the manllagedi forest units, four itatiiial areas wvere estal ished wtith pern tt etit plots for inl c(1itorx ex er\ 5 y ears. Economics of Early Thinning. Planted or niatuiralix seedied areas freyfienitl\ su pport miore stealis per acre thani are necessary or dlesirable for at good stand( (If miercliaitable putlpwoo 001or sax -lo(, trees. Earle thiiiniiis in such stand(s reduci c arix mortality ani( uterase or assist ini contiuinig the rapid growxth (of residnal steals. A studyl tal iishied ini 1951. ~olst tiniuIititis xxas es(determine thle (If produicing4 fence posts antd stunlipage retiirii fromuta fell(.efrout earlx (of produ~cinlg fenlce posts The m in tobjectiv es were to Post opferationu. FIG. 3. This area has been row-thinned to proper stand. I to ] Riesuilts indicate that producing feneeosts wxas profitable .aid( that thinnig i) rows was more ec~oomical thant thuinniing bx selection. Tb ill)in gs for fence posts in creased tihe c0om1m ercial cub~ic foot xvolumne byv as mutch as 2(0 per cent. Silviculture. Intensiv e stud~ies in the field of silv icuiltur e involxve hardwoods as wxell as pine an d inctlu de su ch prob lemns as site preparation for seedlin g or plaintiing, alld( weed tree conitro1 b)' fire, herbicides, or mach inerx. iers ittax be ov erlookin g an opSpecial Studies. WVoodlot own by\ not regenerating or planting x ellow poplar oi goodi hardwood sites. Well-drained lbottonms recentlx (lit ov er or lanids forimerly cleared can p)roduce goodl stand(s of yechow- poplar. portuihrit tiont on1 In 19.53, a stutdy of the effects of site preparation and( eidtixavellowx poplar was begun on an old field. 'ie field had a ixed stand of sericea cloxver, Johnsongrass, brooinsedge, trum hpet x nie, ait( briars on ant alluv ium soil. Seedliigs wxere small and 2 vears of extreme dirouight prexvailedl. The main objectix e rx as to determine tihe best miethtod for planting \ elloxx pop lar in old 1 fields. Resu lts ilnd~icatedi tbat plantings onm undi~istutribed soils .aitd in fiurrows were practically failures, whereas plantings in piowxedi ground followed bx twxo cuiltixvationis wxas iiigl,~ successfli heights axveragedl approxinmatelx :33 feet ini 7 xyears. A simijlar stii(I of the effect of seedbed preparation oin sutrxix al ando early growth of veliloxw poplar wxas tstabliishted in 1960. This stuidy began wxith a seed tree cuttintg that left a limited ntitttler f FIG. 4. Stand of yellow poplar at left is from furrow plantings including replanted stems. The stand at right was cultivated for one year following planting. Replanted stems were hoed only. Trees are four and seven years old. [II] of ini tnre seed trees and~ wats followed b(I i)\scarificationi treatmciuIt 1)\ lll(o/er ald l)X a tractor-dlrawn di(isk. Tlhe main objeem5 hd o1(11(5(f seedbI ed tixt e XXas to cterii hu th( \ alm ( of, \ arioll prep~arationi folloxx ill(' seedl tree eCuttinig ont getmttilatiomi, sureV iv ad, x and~ earix growxthi o)1 elox poplar. X Earx' results imldicatedl that "ermtiiliatiol it sood untder tieatinceits b)\ (ithi(r miethiod of scarificationi hoIt that yetmiim atiomi on aiim (. the ]on -scarified 01rcheek areas wxas atcomplete I mm Weed Trees. (Co)trol of wX ed(tree's is ant v er-prlesen t prob lemi het lumestiomis posed ill mtost forest auras of easternt [Iitmtu States 1m n ix forest moam aaecrs are mii i ieois. Somie of, the m ain on0es iiam hat arec as follows : (1) wxhat hierb~icides g-ix ( the best resuli ts; (2) xx mretliods of application are best spited to the area ix olx ed; (3) nr wxhat mli iidmmi(iameter should lie treatedL or hoxx- extmmsi c shiouldL oui treat alt area; and (4) wxhat are somle of the costs inok Old(l, Onm earix sti dx established iii 195 t xas oil the l ise, of amtimi ate e 00( to conutrol hardwoo xxed trees. T he ol leeti e xxas to dleterm ine the effect of almnnuate as ap)pliedh to poor (fmalit\ ox orstorx hiardthe xood on(1 release of pin e amid desirable hiardxxood reprodocemerallx- umstisfaetomx hlmt the amiiate xx as tiomi. liesiilts xxr (ii >y FIG. 5. This area received bulldozer treatment. t 2j a very effective killer of blackjack oak, 50 per cent effective on all other oaks, and not effective on hickories. A study in progress since 1959 is on the conversion of upland hardwoods to pine. The objectives are: (1) to study the effectiveness of several different methods of hardwood control; (2) to determine survival and growth of loblolly pine on areas subjected to different hardwood control treatments; and (3) to determine the relative cost of methods of hardwood control prior to planting or following planting with loblolly pine. Early results, as given in Table 2, were statistically analyzed and indicated that all treatments were only partially effective and to different degrees. After 3 years no significant differences could be found between cumulative height growths of pine in areas treated by bulldozer, injector, ax frill and treat girdle only, and chain frill and treat. However, there were significant differences between these treatments and both the foliage treatment and the check area. The foliage spray treatment which required further application and the bulldozer treatment were much more expensive than all others. An intensive study was begun in 1952 on the use of fire and herbicides to control hardwoods in mixed loblolly-shortleaf pine stands. Half of the plot was treated with herbicides and other half was not treated, but both halves were burned by controlled fires in either August or January. All plots were burned in the '52-53 season and again in '54-55 season. Objectives were to determine: (1) the method that will reduce the hardwoods most effectively; (2) the method that will encourage regeneration of pine TABLE 2. SURVIVAL AND TOTAL HEIGHTS OF PLANTED PINE AT THE END OF THREE GROWING SEASONS FOLLOWING SITE AND STEM TREATMENT AND RELATIVE COSTS Treatment Survival No. Per acre Per cent 89.1 82.2 83.4 73.1 72.0 54.3 74.2 heights' Ft. 4,817 4,442 4,240 3,894 3,718 2,365 1,917 cost rating Position 6 4 3 2 5 7 1 3 1. Bulldozer 2. Axe frill and treatment 3. Injector 4. Girdle only 5. Chain frill and treatment 6. Foliage spray 7. Check 719 663 678 590 581 438 599 SOriginal stand of 807/acre. 2Total heights are the sum of the heights of all live trees: 3Rating of 1, least expensive. [13 ] I' y 1 . Jrf 7 R y a . _ .b 4,syl t P4 .{y y Cl tl' AyA V (y i, Ili oWi. is t, Pa uC £nu'j o h u~t 1-o\\ ti) of lo1h)11\ and (Iho~irtleaf p~inis. anid treat((d an d hadwood\ 0(1 1)11 rud areas an d that \uli lust b)1 -lls re(i due thei rowth lioorc thani I aiiiai\ hi oiis. I 1()X\\ , 5I (\ taS atrhriii( moist ha~rdwood10 hadI Sproiited andit still eoiii 1 etetl wxithi Niuit. 1fine rvc.4iiirationi the vas 4i'r r4atest lolloiAX 10 Augt~i I~ K_ FIG. 7. The areas here show plot immediately after January burn in 1952 and the same area five years after second January burn. [ 14] areas did not seed well until 3 years after the last fire. August burns caused considerable damage to pines up to 6 inches in diameter, but had little or no effect on growth of the larger trees. A study begun in 1962 deals with the improvement of mixed hardwood stands in minor bottoms by treating undesirable stems or areas with silvicides applied with an injector, by basal spray and by mist blower, and injection for larger trees. Objectives are: (1) to determine the cost of stand improvement treatments on cutover and uncut mixed hardwood stands; (2) to evaluate the effectiveness of silvicides applied to control undesirable species in both understory and overstory; and (3) to correlate initial establishment of hardwood reproduction. The only results available now are the costs of treatments. Data indicated that treatments by injection only were least expensive, mist spray and injection next, and basal spray the most expensive. The cost of treating cutover areas was 11/2 to 2 times greater than the same treatment on uncut areas. The Department of Forestry at the Main Station at Auburn has used the Fayette Experiment Forest to study the durability of fence posts, the use of Arizona Cypress for Christmas Trees, and chemical changes in the soils of plots treated with herbicides and prescribed fires. [15]