38 Forestry Quarterly. 



given; it is presumable that the data were obtained under uni- 

 form conditions, so that the age is proportional to the diameter. 



Diameter of Stump, inches, 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 



Number Sprouts per Stump, 13 18 22 24 25 26 26 26 25 24 



The number of sprouts is not of so much importance as their 

 size and general thrift. The comparison is one between a thicket 

 of small low sprouts and a small group of tall stout sprouts. 

 There is evidence that the optimum age for sprouts coincides 

 in general with the close of the period of maximum height 

 growth, which occurs somewhere about the twentieth to thirtieth 

 year. Sprouts from old age stumps, if produced are less vig- 

 orous and their appearance at the end of the first season is in 

 general similar to that of sprouts from stumps cut somewhat late 

 in the spring season. 



The Barly Growth of Sprouts. 



The Diameter Growth of Sprouts. — After the first year there 

 is a very rapid decrease in the amount of annual growth in 

 height. The rate of diameter growth in the sprout during this 

 decrease is interesting. 



The rapid height growth during the first year secures for the 

 shoot access to light and carries it beyond close competition. 

 At best, the first year's growth is spindly. The second and third 

 year's growth is in quite an opposite direction to that of the first, 

 viz : a small increase in height but a large expanse in cross 

 section area, as high as 235 per cent, increase in the second year's 

 growth being found. The general form of sprouts, thus, changes 

 from cylindrical to a conical after the first year. An increase of 

 nearly 1 inch per year in diameter during the first 8 to 15 years 

 has been observed on stumps in the most favorable situations. 



The cross section area averages (at 2 feet above ground) for 

 maximum dominant sprouts, .44, .99 and 2.J sq. in. and for 

 dominant sprouts, .011, .037 and 1.6 sq. in. for the first three 

 years respectively. 



The increase in cross section area for the average dominant 

 sprout is for the second year about 130 per cent, to 150 per cent., 

 and for the third year 140 per cent, to 170 per cent, over that 

 of the preceding year. In contrast to this the growth in height of 



