THE CARE OF YOUNG PLANTATIONS. Ill 



because they are apt to subdue valuable, young trees that 

 have grown up from seeds, and which are mostly slow 

 growers. In such case, the sprouts of each stock should be 

 very much reduced in numbers, and only a few strong ones 

 should be left. In the course of time, the latter will again 

 increase and begin to do harm to the neighboring self-sown 

 seedlings of the more valuable kind. Then the sprouts 

 are still reduced, and but one for each stock is kept over. 

 This will be removed when the saplings have reached 

 such a size that they will not be in any danger from 

 subsequent sprouts of the felled tree. 



Thinning. It is an undeniable fact that in natural 

 forests sometimes over one hundred thousand young trees 

 can be found growing upon an area of one .icre; and yet we 

 cannot expect to raise more than from one to two hun- 

 dred full grown trees upon that space. Left to itself, 

 the natural forest will eliminate in the course of their 

 growth all those trees that cannot stand the struggle for 

 existence; and, finally, there will be only some giants 

 found upon each acre of woodland. This constant 

 natural thinning-out is more prevalent during the 

 earlier years of tree-growth than in their advanced age, 

 while the remaining trees increase in strength and 

 vitality. Then there commences a struggle which soon 

 assumes such proportions as to involve danger to most of 

 the survivors. Here the skilful hand of the forester is 

 'required to terminate the contest, especially Avhen the 

 trees are of the same age and equally developed. True, 

 in such case, although a tree cannot expand laterally, it 

 can attain a good height. However, this being a forced 

 growth, the individuals become extremely weak and suc- 

 cumb in a body to such forces as high winds, great snow 

 drifts, etc., or their accretions become from year to year 

 smaller till the whole body falls a prey to insects or 

 blight. 



In a natural forest, where trees of different kinds and 



