10 



Young Growth. The leaves and tender branches of the young growth in the 

 woodiot are eagerly browsed hy the animals. Some species of trees are less liahle 

 to browsing than others. The Ironwood seems to be particularly immune from 

 browsing, so that in many Ontario woodlots that have been grazed the larger 

 percentage of the young growth is composed of Ironwood. 



Cattle have been noticed standing in good, fresh clover, greedily devouring 

 the leaves from limbs of Sugar Maple which were thrown into the pasture. Evi- 

 dentl}^ they enjoyed a change in diet. 



Old Trees. The trampling of the soil, the desti-uction of young growth, 

 which should protect the soil from sun and wind, and the formation of an im- 

 pervious sod, all aid in lessening the vigor of growth of the standing, full grown 

 trees. In this case the injurious effects are scarcely noticeahle to the common 

 observer owing to his lack of knowledge as to what healthy tree growth actually 

 means. The annual amount of wood production is fiar below what it should be 

 when the soil conditions are in an abnormal state from grazing. 



Many woodlots contain trees that have not reached maturity, but whose tops 

 are dying. Such trees are spoken of as being stag-headed. Stag-headedness is 

 caused by lack of nourishment and moisture in the soil, a result of grazing. 



Weed Trees. 



Many woodlots contain a large percentage of weed trees or inferior species. 

 Weed trees such as Ironwood, Hawthorn, and Blue Beech have gradually taken 

 possession as an undergrowth. 



Everything seems to favor the development of these species. In cutting opera- 

 tions these trees are seldom disturbed. The stock in grazing prefer the leaves and 

 branches of the better species, thus giving these weed trees another advantage. 

 The seedlings of the Ironwood and Blue Beech seem very hardy and vigorous and 

 can stand a great amount of shade, so that they get an early start in the struggle 

 for possession of the soil. When once the Ironwood has obtained a footing its 

 dense foliage so shades the ground that better species cannot develop beneath it. 

 In many woodlots from seventy-live to eighty per cent, of the trees under three 

 inches are made up of Ironwood. 



Inferior Species. 



The question of the inferiority of a species is relative and depends on local 

 conditions. 



Inferior species, as Poplars and Slippery or Red Elm, are often growing on 

 soils which are capable of producing much better species. Then in some cases the 

 woodiot has gradually become filled with Sugar Maple when it might be wise to 

 introduce other species. 



Defective and Overmature Trees. 



The average woodiot contains many defective and overmature trees. The 

 defective trees are of various descriptions. Trees with old fire scars, trees injured 

 while young by the felling of neighboring trees, trees wantonly scarred by the care- 

 less blow of an axe, trees broken and deformed by wind or snow, are all forms 

 which should gradually be removed. Overmature trees frequently show a tendency 

 to become stag-headed, and if left standing gradually deteriorate in value. Such 

 trees are a menace to the surrounding growth and frequently in felling destroy 

 more than their own value. 



