The Improvement of the Woodlot 



14^5 



they gather in heaps Instead of covering the ground evenly; in order to 

 keep out wind, all openings should be filled and the exposed edges of the 

 woodlot kept as dense as possible, especially on the sides exposed to 

 the most trying winds. This may require the leaving of otherwise 

 worthless trees and underbrush, or the planting of more trees on the 

 exposed edges. Norway spruce is a good tree to plant as a windbreak. 



Water is lost by 

 allowing sunlight and 

 wind to get to the 

 ground, not only be- 

 cause of injuries to 

 the mulch, but also 

 because both wind 

 and sun greatly in- 

 crease the evapora- 

 tion from the soil. 

 By keeping the ground 

 well shaded and pro- 

 viding windbreaks on 

 the exposed sides, this 

 loss of moisture may 

 be decreased. 



Grass is very unde- 

 sirable in the woodlot. 

 It uses much water 

 that should be used 

 by the trees if the 

 main object is to raise 

 timber. Grass and a 

 good leaf, mulch can- 

 not both exist. When 

 grass comes into the 

 woodlot, the chances 



are that the timber will grow much more slowly. Grass should be kept 

 out by having the ground well shaded. 



Amount of light. — The third important factor that determines how fast 

 a tree will grow is the amount of light it receives. The food materials 

 that are later used to make new wood must be worked over in the leaves 

 and the leaves must have light in order to do this. The more leaves 

 there are on a tree, and the more light they have, the better chance the 

 tree has of making a large amount of new wood. If closely crowded by 

 its neighbors, the tree will not have a well-developed top or set of branches 



Fig. 211. — It is very important that a leaf mulch be kept on 

 the ground; such a mulch is a great help in keeping the soil 

 moist and mellow, and it is also a fertilizer 



