44 FOHEST commissioner's HEPORT. 



dull and they aud the limbs supporting them die out. The tree is 

 compelled to shoot upward to meet the light that is denied to it 

 below, while the trunk becomes long and clean, forming the basis 

 on which a later growth may most profitably be deposited. Quality, 

 however, in a given tree is obtained at the expense of quantity, 

 while the crowding may apparently go to too great an extent, divid- 

 ing too minutely the growth on the tract and perhaps even lower- 

 ing its actual volume. It is in fact one of the problems in the 

 practical cultivation of forest trees, involving the balancing of these 

 opposite considerations how many trees at any given age should 

 be allowed to stand to the acre. 



Applying these principles to the areas in question it is seen how, 

 having grown up thus in full competition, it is comparatively 

 recently that the trees have reached a size when they were thought 

 fit to cut, while on the other hand in respect to future value, they 

 make great aud unusual promise. 



I have most f .cts relating to a piece of ground in Township 1, 

 Range 7. Finding a camp at work there full measures were made 

 on some of the trees as elsewhere described, while to con- 

 firm and add point to conclusions derived from general obser- 

 vation in respect to the relation and comparative size of the 

 different species, a half acre of pine laud was staked off 

 and the trees upon it counted and described. Some seven 

 years before this ground had been lightly cut over, and the 

 stumps were seen much eclipsing in size any of the trt^-es now 

 standing. Of the latter the largest were thirteen to fit teen inches 

 in diameter and eighty feet high. The trunks <->f these trees were 

 clear of limbs for a considerable distance, and the butt logs of the 

 best trees were to be sawed into edged boards. Here a distinct 

 rise in quality is seen. I fully believe, and shall try to point out, 

 that a still further rise, one that would multiply many times the 

 value of the product of the land, might be reaped in time with con- 

 servative treatment 



The half acre selected was as good a one as I could find in the 

 vicinity, one, that is, as well covered with pine as could be found. 

 In speaking of results those taken in the fi Id will be multiplied by 

 two so that our dealing will be with the acre as a unit This being 

 understood, there were on the acre "228 pines of which only five 

 were under six inches diameter while seventy-eight were twelve or 

 over — diameter being measured always breast high from the ground. 



