223 



of wood per acre stands in direct proportion to the density of growth, i. e., the number 

 of plants per acre. 



10. Of all the methods of management, the timber forest with natural reproduction 

 from seed trees is best calculated to maintain the vigour of the soil, for shade-enduring 

 species, if the cutting is done with necessary prudence, so that the soil is exposed as little* 

 as possible. Next to this method comes absolute clearing, with immediate artificial re- 

 seeding or replanting. This is almost the only method advisable for light-foliaged trees. 



11. Short terms of rotation remove the protection oftener from the soil ; long ones 

 carry the danger of soil impoverishment, owing to the natural thinning out of most speciea 

 in later stages of growth. 



12. For intcrlucation the principal rule is never to deprive any portion of the soil 

 of the protecting cover of the crowns ; it is best to confine the thinning out to the over- 

 shadowed, dying trees. 



THE CULTURE AND MANAGEMENT OF OUR NATIVE FORESTS, FOR 

 DEVELOPMENT AS TIMBER OR ORNAMENTAL WOOD. 



By H. W. S. Cleveland, Chicago, III. 



No one can travel through any portion of the States east of the prairie regions, with- 

 out being impressed by the fact that he is never out of sight of woodland. In fact, the 

 chief cause of the prevailing apathy on the subject of forest planting, arises from the fact 

 of the great abundance of groves and extended forests, which convey the impression, ia 

 spite of the assertions of staticians, that there is still enough wood growing to supply the 

 place of that which is removed. 



The Duke of Argyle, in the interesting sketch of his trip through the States, pub- 

 lished after his return to England, says emphatically that nothing in the aspect of the- 

 country surprised and impressed him so much as the great amount of wood still remain- 

 ing, and everywhere giving beauty and variety to the landscape ; but he added that it 

 was everywhere the beauty of the wild-wood, which never bore any evidence of culture 

 or effort to increase its value by artificial development. 



" I saw nothing (he says) that could be called fine timber, and no woods which showed 

 any care in thinning, with a view to the production of such timber in the future." 



Such a criticisn is not surprising from one who, like most country gentlemen of 

 England, is familiar with the process of forest culture, but it certainly is surprising that, 

 with all our boasted intelligence, we still remain practically insensible to the fact that, 

 while almost every tract of woodland contains a large per centage of such trees as are 

 most valuable for timber, already well advanced in growth, and susceptible, by judicious 

 management, of being developed into proper form and size for use in far less time and 

 at far less cost than would be required for the planting and growth of new forest ; yet,, 

 if left to themselves, not one tree in a thousand will ever be fit for anything better than 

 fencing stuff or fuel. Vast resources of wealth are lying latent and running to waste in 

 our woodlands, and we stand stupidly unconscious of the fact that its development re- 

 quires simply the application of the intelligent culture we bestow on all other crops. In 

 many instances, it is true, the native woods have been so long neglected, that they are 

 past redemption, but there are, nevertheless, large areas of continuous forest, and smaller 

 groves and wood-lots in every section of the country, now yielding no revenue, which 

 might, by proper annual thinning, pruning and culture, be developed into timber forests 

 of very great value, while yielding an annual crop of firewood in the process. 



Where shall we find, or how shall we create, the men who are competent to the 

 work 1 To judge from invariable practice, our people seem not only to be ignorant of the 

 first principles of forest culture, but unconscious even of the possibility of its application 

 to the development of our native woods. The fact of such prevailing ignorance rests not 

 alone upon negative evidence. We have positive proof in abundance in the attempts 

 which we often see at the " improvement " of a piece of woodland when it is appropriated 

 as the site of a residence. It is hard to conceive of anything more dismal and forlorn 

 than the average result of the effort to impart a home-like aspect to such a place ; the: 



