756 JOURNAL OF FORESTRY 



out south Jersey and are usually referred to as "scrub-oak" because of 

 their generally poor condition. Much of such growth, however, con- 

 sists of good species of oak, such as white oak, red oak, post-oak, 

 chestnut-oak, etc., and the run-down condition is due to neglect, abuse, 

 and repeated fires. 



Two similar plots of approximately one acre each were laid out and 

 the trees on each counted and measured. Then Plot No. i was 

 "thinned" to relieve its overcrowded condition, just as garden vegeta- 

 bles are thinned so as to produce the largest and best crop possible. 

 Enough crowded, weakened, and suppressed trees of the poorest spe- 

 cies were removed to give the remaining trees the proper amount of 

 light and growing space for their best development. Plot No. 2, to 

 serve as a check or control, was not thinned. 



In February, 1912, Plot No. i, originally contained 607 trees from 

 2 to 7 inches in diameter breast high (41^^ feet from the ground). In 

 the thinning, 223 trees were removed, leaving 384 trees to grow. The 

 original volume of Plot No. i was 5.46 cords per acre; i cord was re- 

 moved by thinning, costing $1.50 in labor and yielding $1.25 from the 

 sale of the wood, and 4.46 cords per acre were left to grow. Plot No. 2, 

 the check plot, consisted of 555 trees, with a volume of '].']2 cords per 

 acre. 



Seven years later, or in June, 1919. neither tract having had any at- 

 tention except protection from fire, the plots were again measured and 

 the following results were noted : Plot No. i (thinned plot) had 380 

 living trees, the volume of which was 10.03 cords per acre, or an in- 

 crease of 5.57 cords, not counting the one cord removed by thinning. 

 Plot No. 2 contained 558 living trees, with a total volume of 8.63 cords, 

 or an increase of less than a cord (.91 cord) for seven years' growth. 

 In other words, the thinned plot almost doubled its wood volume in 

 seven years, while the adjoining unthinned plot in the same time in- 

 creased less than 9 per cent. Forestry pays ! 



The record in this study is made in cords because the trees are still 

 too small to count for lumber. The next measurement should show 

 that some trees have passed from the cordwood class to the railroad-tie 

 class, and then on to sawlogs. New Jersey's forests must, and will, 

 provide lumber ; we have too much firewood. 



Many a New Jersey farmer and woodland owner can increase the 

 productiveness and value of his woodlands by applying similar forestrv 

 methods to his own property. No matter whether the woodland con- 

 sists of young growth or older trees, a larger and more valuable crop 

 of better quality — whether it be cordwood, ties, posts, poles, or lum- 



