FUNDAMENTAL SILVICULTURAL MEASURKS 19 



The hardwood crown cover must be broken up to show acceleration 

 of softwoods and insure a straight boled growth of hardwoods. Table 

 1 shows the result of such a cutting where all merchantable hardwood 

 was removed but enough cover left remaining to protect the site from 

 too severe drying out. 



Such opening up of the crown results in severe mortality of the 

 smaller trees in the old stand which on the whole is desirable from 

 the standpoint of the future crop, especially where timber left is now 

 merchantable. 



Considerable variation will occur on ditTerent areas in the hardwood 

 type due to variation in moisture content of soil, amount of humus, 

 and character of the virgin stand. Some ridges upon which there were 

 originally no softwoods will remain pure hardwod unless under-planted. 

 Small areas of pure softwoods, where deep coniferous humus has 

 formed, will recover with a certain amount of aspen and fire cherry 

 to the immediate exclusion of other hardwoods. In such areas the 

 percentage of softwoods will be high ultimately. Not only is the 

 hardwood type the major type of the Adirondack region, but it also 

 presents the most varied and dif^cult problems. Rapid replacement 

 of the mature stand can be accomplished only by the breaking up of the 

 crown cover. Cutting of hardwoods first has proved impracticable 

 because of breakage and the mortality through exposure of the soft- 

 woods left standing. The problem seems to have resolved itself into 

 a question of how much softwood and hardwood may be left without 

 the serious crippling of the young growth and without financial loss. 

 It must be recognized that not only should the old crown be removed, 

 but that the second growth of hardwood must be thinned as early as 

 practicable to secure the best growth of softwood. Yellow birch is im- 

 portant as a nurse crop since it competes less severely than beech and 

 maple with an under-story of softwoods. 



Upper-slope type. This type is not of great commercial importance 

 and should be treated as a protective forest. As shallow soils belong to 

 this type, cuttings must always be light or resulting windfall will de- 

 stroy the stand and, therefore, its protective value. 



BURNS 



The presence of considerable areas of burns gives planting a large 

 promise of success if it follows a fire quickly so that the trees will get 

 A start over the inevitable competition of native gowth. 



Intolerant softwoods can be used to good advantage. Plantations 

 within 150 feet of hardwood stands will meet with more competition 



