COMMENTS ON TERMINOLOGY 353 



the only object to be sought (as above shown) in factoring the original 

 term, "crown density." 



To repeat, the factoring of "crown density" is not merely for the 

 purpose of distinguishing the elements of "total shading efficiency" 

 (that is, (1) individual crown density and (2) distance apart of 

 the crowns). In common use the more important object is to differ- 

 entiate between the interception of light by crowns, on the one hand, 

 and the degree of separation of the crowns with reference particularly 

 to mutual interference but also for mere descriptive purposes, on 

 the other. 



Fernow: 



A brief rejoinder to the above might be made as follows: Is 

 not the description of crown conditions in every respect, in the end, 

 merely to answer the object of judging, for whatever purpose, light 

 conditions, i. e., interception of light-shading efficiency, the mechanical 

 interference of crowns with each other being also of moment only 

 on account of interception of light? 



The decimal or percentic statements hitherto in use under the 

 term "crown density" (which comes very near the above (2) defini- 

 tion of "crown closure") did not really mean more than the crown 

 area; remaining silviculturally, and as regards shading efficiency, mean- 

 ingless unless related to a given species. 



The advocated restriction of the term "crown density" to condi- 

 tion of the single crown seems a simplification when another term, 

 as e. g., "shading efficiency," may be used to describe the area of all 

 crowns, the crown cover. 



All these terms are vague as long as we are lacking standards by 

 which the different conditions are to be gauged. 



More light on the situation is desirable. 



