■Rural Sciioor. Lkafi.kt. 1033 



Our first lesson taught us that different kinds of trees have developed 

 different kinds of characteristics, which detern^ine whether they can 

 keep in the fight for a place in the forest. For instance, the white pine 

 or the chestnut possesses the power to grow tall fast, but can not endure 

 shade to compare with the beech or the balsam, which clings tenaciously 

 to life in the interior of the forest, waiting for an opening overhead. 



These different characteristics are called by the forester the silvical 

 characteristics of the tree. Among the most important, besides rate 

 and period of growth and requirements of light, are temperature require- 

 ments, moisture requirements, soil requirements, habits of seed-pro- 

 duction and distribution, and the requirements of the seed for germi- 

 nation. 



When man interferes in the battle which the trees are fighting with 

 each other for possession of the ground, he is giving an advantage to 

 some of the trees over others. If he knows how to interfere in the best 

 way, he will be able to increase the usefulness of the forest to him by 

 making it grow the largest possible quantity of the best kinds of wood. 

 If he interferes blindly, simply helping himself to what he wants, he 

 will lessen both the quantity and the quality of wood which the forest 

 will grow. It is as if he were to pull the vegetables from his garden, 

 but leave all the weeds. 



Go into the woodlot and see what is happening. Is the wood on a 

 thin-soiled, rocky ridge, a side-hill with deep soil and good drainage, 

 or a badly drained flat? What kinds of trees do you find growing here? 

 The character of the site has determined which kinds would find them- 

 selves at home in this particular spot. Is the soil beneath your feet 

 spongy and leaf-littered, or compact and grassy? Are the woods open, 

 or all old trees, or with empty spaces where nothing of value is growing 

 up? Are the trees healthy, clean-stemmed, and of valuable kinds? In 

 short, is the land fully stocked with good timber-trees, or is it half idle 

 or working to poor purpose? If the latter, can you discover how ill- 

 judged use has interfered with the forest to the owner's disadvantage? 

 What part has pasturing, wood-cutting and fire played in bringing the 

 woodlot to its present condition? 



The Forest Service, at Washington, is publishing a series of little 

 circulars called " silvical leaflets." Each takes up a single kind of tree 

 and discusses its range, appearance, habit, requirements, rate of growth, 

 reproduction, etc. School teachers and others who are interested can 

 secure these leaflets by writing for such as they wish. If they will supple- 

 ment their reading by personal observation of the places where different 

 kinds of trees grow, the way they scatter their seed, and how they fight 



