158 J. J. Kotze 



forestry is to obtain clean oi branchless stems of considerable 

 length with as little taper and producing a timber with as close 

 or as even a grain as possible. The isolated tree cannot produce 

 this as it responds to the enjoyment of light from all sides by 

 sending out lateral branches at the expense of height growth. 

 When reared in close order, however, lateral light is shut out, 

 and each tree vies with the other in an endeavour to outgrow its 

 neighbours, and so flaunt its head in full enjoyment of the sun- 

 light above. In other words, a keen struggle for existence sets 

 in and the trees draw each other up so to speak. As very little 

 light comes from a lateral direction after a wood has once closed 

 canopy the side branches are starved and succumb when quite 

 young, and each individual directs all its energy towards height 

 growth. Thus it is we observe the marked change in habit be- 

 tween trees growing in the open and those in close formation. 

 The forester takes advantage of this characteristic and makes 

 his trees struggle to develop lengthy boles There is a limit 

 to this struggle, however, and sooner or later the more vigorous 

 and thrifty individuals outgrow and suppress their weaker neigh- 

 bours, and it is the forester's object to assist those trees likely 

 to form the final stand by giving them more room to develop, 

 but at the same time he must maintain a more or less unbroken 

 canopy so that the sun may not stream down upon the forest floor 

 and endanger its fertility. We have now reached the stag! 

 known as " thinning,*' and further remarks will be deferred till 

 we reach that stage in the tending or management of a plantation. 

 Another important consideration for a close espacement is that 

 weed-growth should be killed as soon as possible and the soil be 

 protected from the full force of the sun's rays. Weeds not only 

 draw much moisture from the soil, but also may actually choke 

 the trees — hence the necessity for cultivation until the trees close 

 canopy and kill off the weeds by the dense shade they cast. 



Operations Necessary to the Establishment and 

 Subsequent Tending of a Plantation. 



The planting completed it is too often supposed that all that 

 remains to be done is to await the maturing of the crop. A 



