OF SOUTHWESTERN MISSISSIPPI. 123 



species are desirable. Plenty of young growth should be 

 left to form at least a partial shade, or the weeds and vine 

 are likely to grow so rank and dense after the timber has 

 been removed that they prevent reproduction. 



Young stands of pure cottonwood, however seem to 

 demand a different treatment. As far as can be determined, 

 no old stand is ever reseeded to cottonwood, unless from 

 overflow. Seed trees, therefore, are useless. Again, as 

 cottonwood stands are nearly all even-aged, the smaller 

 trees, with scarcely an exception, are badly suppressed and 

 are not worth saving for a future crop. In older stands, 

 however, there is usually a second growth of sycamore, 

 elm, oak and mulberry, which should be protected unless 

 the land is to be cleared for agriculture. Young cottonwood 

 stands, if a market can be found for cordwood, should be 

 thinned by taking out the smaller trees, thus utiHzing them 

 before they die, and alsb giving room for the larger trees to 

 develop rapidly into more merchantable saw-timber. 



River and Creek Bottoms. — Much of this type has been 

 cleared and ciiltivated for many years, and practically all of 

 it will be cleared for agriculture within a few decades, or as 

 soon as the difficulties of drainage have been overcome. 

 In the meantime, however, the forests which are growing 

 on these lands should be cared for and made to yield the 

 greatest possible revenue. Although many years may pass 

 before the land is cleared for farms, it is doubtful economy 

 to grow new forests or consider the present forests per- 

 manent. It is desirable to make the most of the growth 

 that is already on the ground. 



The selection method of cutting should be followed here 

 as in the other hardwood types, leaving as much young 

 gro^vth as possible on the ground and taking out the mature 

 timber. What is cut should be used to the best advantage, 

 and the woods left in such condition that the remaining trees 

 will make the best timber in the shortest possible time. 

 Care should be taken to protect the young growth, especially 

 that of the more valuable species, and to see that trees are 

 not unnecessarily felled on promising young trees when 

 cutting is being carried on. 



