THINNING AND PRUNING. 27 



when cut under 25 years. The wood is formed within that 

 time as rapidly, taking a forest together, as at any other age ; 

 and, for fuel, it is then of most value. 



In cutting with a view to future timber, the tree should be 

 felled as close to the ground as possible, as the shoots will then 

 be erect. In cutting with a view to fuel, it is of less conse- 

 quence. Several suckers will be thrown out, all of which will 

 be curved at base, but they will all, thereby, have more room 



to grow. 



To the questions, — " Stumps of trees of what age, when felled, 

 will shoot up most vigorously ? Is there any age at which they 

 cease to shoot? What trees will not shoot from the stump?" 

 the answers are equally full. To the first of these questions, 

 the uniform answer is, that the stumps of young, healthy, grow- 

 ing trees, shoot most vigorously. They should not be under 15 

 years, nor much over 20. The almost uniform answer to the 

 second question, is, that shoots will not come from very old 

 trees. From those of old trees they spring up, but die in one or 

 two years. Stumps of trees that had begun to decay, seldom 

 give any shoots. In some cases, suckers come from the roots of 

 old trees, but not from the stump. A single individual thinks 

 that the power of throwing up shoots from the stump, never 

 ceases during the life of the tree. 



As to the third question, all agree that evergreens never give 

 permanent shoots from the stump. Several persons, who have 

 attended to the growth of the sugar maple say, that the stump 

 of this tree makes no shoots ; and the same is said of the beech. 



As to the season of the year most favorable for felling a for- 

 est, when the object is to have it renew itself speedily, the tes- 

 timony is various, but not absolutely discordant. All agree in 

 saying, that the tree should be felled when not in leaf. The 

 majority say, generally, in the winter months; some, between 

 November and April. A correspondent in Plymouth, my friend 

 G. P. Bradford, who kindly took great pains to get information 

 extensively from the wood -growers in that neighborhood, says, — 

 "It is generally considered, by those well acquainted with the 

 matter, much preferable for the future growth, to fell a forest in 

 April and May. The wood is not so good as when cut between 



