FOREST CONDITIONS IN DELAWARE. 35 



The excellent market for timber products makes the care of a forest 

 and the attention to forest management a sound business proposition. 



Management of Woodlcts 



General Discussion. The desirability of every farm having a 

 woodlot is generally recognized. It is important that every farmer 

 should regard his woodlot in the nature of a permanent and necessary 

 investment, and as a result he will usually give it the proper amount 

 of care and attention. The more valuable the land which the woodlot 

 occupies, the greater should be the returns in forest products ; and the 

 more important it is for the owner to keep the woodlot well stocked so 

 that it will produce the greatest yield on the smallest possible area. 



Woodlot management should consist primarily in establishing and 

 maintaining a fully-stocked stand of desirable species with the least 

 financial outlay. Secondarily, comes the protection and improvement 

 of the stand, especially by judicious thinning, until ripe for final cut- 

 ting. 



A forest is established (1) naturally by seed from old treees, or by 

 sprouts from stumps of cut trees; (2) artificially by sowing or plant- 

 ing; (3) by a combination of natural and artificial methods. Sowing 

 or planting necessitates a financial outlay, while natural reproduction 

 does not. It is advisable, however, to resort to artificial methods where 

 it- is not possible to procure a good stand by natural means. 



Whenever timber is needed from the woodlot it is important that 

 the cutting be made with reference to its future good. Under proper 

 forest management all material removed is usually either in the nature 

 of improvement cuttings, by which the stand is left in better growing 

 shape ; or final cuttings, where it is the intention to remove the stand 

 with a view of reproducing it. Haphazard cutting of the best trees 

 without regard for the condition of those left is only warranted in 

 cases where a great deal is to be gained financially by such a method. 

 In almost every case in Delaware, however, it will pay to consider the 

 future stand and not to sacrifice its good for the sake of immediate re- 

 turns. 



Establishing New Stands. The importance of establishing fully- 

 stocked stands of the most desirable species cannot be emphasized too 

 much. It is good economy that woodlots on valuable farm land be 

 made to average, if possible, two cords per acre a year in growth, in- 

 stead of less than one, as is often the case under ordinary methods of 

 treatment. Most of the woodlots in the State are understocked and in 



