THE WOODLOT STARTED FROM SPROUTS 115 



In time the crowns of the different sprouts and of the trees 

 that have started from seed or that have been planted will 

 come together and form a crown cover or canopy. From then 

 on the life history of the sprout stand will be similar to that 

 of a forest plantation or even aged stand, and it should receive 

 the same treatment. As soon as the competition between the 

 trees becomes strong, a thinning must be made to release the 

 crowns of the better and more vigorous trees, and similar thin- 

 nings should be made throughout the life of the sprout stand 

 whenever needed. 



CARING FOR A WOODLOT THAT HAS STARTED NATURALLY FROM 



SEED SOWN BY TREES 



When the woodlot has started from seed sown by neigh- 

 boring trees or from trees left for the purpose of sowing seed, 

 the resultant stand will be apt to be more or less irregular. 

 Near the seed trees the ground may be well covered with young 

 seedlings. If the seedlings stand 5 or 6 feet apart each way 

 the reproduction will be satisfactory, for that is as closely to- 

 gether as trees would ordinarily be planted in starting a forest 

 planting. Usually there will be many more. There will be 

 many areas where the seedlings will be far apart or where no 

 seedlings will have started. Such areas should be planted 

 with seedlings from the farm nursery. It is essential that the 

 woodlot be well stocked from the start if trees of good form 

 and of value for use are expected. Openings in a woodlot 

 usually persist. The ground becomes covered with a thick 

 sod or a mat of weeds and bushes, that prevent subsequent 

 seeding of trees. 



A cleaning ordinarily must be made sooner in the life of 

 a naturally produced woodlot than in one in which the trees 

 are planted and evenly spaced from the start. This is because 

 wherever reproduction has been good the trees will stand 

 thickly together, often forming thickets through which it is 

 almost impossible to pass. The competition between the trees 



