Establishment and Tending of Timber Plantations 1 59 



greater fallacy was never propounded. It is now that the for- 

 ester has to commence the practice of his skill in earnest, and as 

 the crop progresses on its long journey more and more skill is 

 called into play for its efficient management. Broadly speaking 

 these steps are as follows: — 



1 . Cultivation. 



The amount of cultivation necessary after planting depends 

 mainly on the surface condition of the soil and the 

 rapidity of growth of the trees. Constant cultivation until 

 the crowns of the trees unite and form '* canopy," thereby killing 

 off weeds and grass and creating " forest conditions," is essen- 

 tial, especially in the drier localities. 



2 Blanf^ing. 



The failures that occur should be replaced immediately they 

 are detected so that the new plants may catch up with the original 

 ones. If this operation be not attended to serious gaps will 

 occur in which grass and weeds v^ll take possession and form 

 dangerous fire traps. Moreover, these gaps spoil the uniformity 

 of a stand and damage the quality of the trees in their immediate 

 neighbourhood by causing them to bevelop lateral branches, and 

 the capacity of the area is not being utilised to its fullest extent — 

 the more gaps the less trees there are. Unless " blanking " or, 

 as it is sometimes called, " beating up " be done at once it be- 

 comes very expensive and uncertain in its results later on. 



3. Pruning. 



Until the stand of young trees has formed canopy numerous 

 lateral branches are developed, and these persist for some little 

 time afterwards until gradually killed by the overhead shade. 

 This vigorous development of bide branches often alarms the in- 

 experienced, and advice is sometimes sought as to whether pnming 

 should be resorted to. Pruning, however, is seldom desirable, 

 and nature should be left to do this in her own way. The lateral 



