56 



A PRIMER OF FORESTRY. 



THE STRUGGLE CONTINUED. 



Fig. 54. — Natural pruning on Pine poles 

 still unliuished. Biltmore, N. C. 



Those trees which have 

 gained this aclvautage 

 over their neighbors are 

 called dominant trees, 

 while the surviving lag- 

 gards in the race are said 

 to be overtopped when 

 they are hopelessly be- 

 hind, and retarded when 

 less badly beaten. Enor- 

 mous numbers of seed- 

 lings and small saplings 

 are suppressed and killed 

 during the early youth of 

 the forest. In the young 

 crop which we are fol- 

 lowing many thousands 

 perish upon every acre. 

 Even the dominant trees, 

 which are temporarily free 

 when they rise above their 

 neighbors, speedily come 

 into conflict with each 

 other as they spread, and 

 in the end the greater 

 portion is overcome. It 

 is a very deadly strug- 

 gle, but year by year the 

 differences between the 

 trees become less marked. 

 Each separate individual 

 clings to life with greater 

 tenacity, the strife is more 



