192 .A MANUAL OF FORESTRY. 



SECTION I. TENDING OF WOODS DURING EARLY YOUTH. 



Young woods require special protection against ex- 

 ternal dangers until they can shift for themselves ; they 

 must be kept clean, and a proper density or composition 

 of the crop be preserved. Accordingly the subject will 

 be divided into four groups. 



1. Protection against External Dangers. 



The details of this subject will be found under Forest 

 Protection. For the present purpose the following notes 

 will suffice. 



a. Fire. 



Although woods require protection against fire at all 

 periods of their life, it is specially necessary during 

 early youth. Protection is afforded by removing all 

 inflammable matter, or clearing fire-traces around the 

 area and at suitable intervals in the interior. 



In addition, the area must be watched, so that any 

 fires which occur may be promptly extinguished. 



b. Frost and Drought. 



Where regeneration takes place, whether naturally or 

 artificially, under a shelter-wood, the latter provides the 

 necessary protection against frost and drought, or, at any 

 rate, insures a considerable reduction of the danger in 

 either case. In cultivating cleared areas, shelter for 

 tender species must be artificially provided, by growing 



