14 THE PRODUCTION" OF MAPLE SIRUP AND SUGAR. 



THE MANAGEMENT OF A SAPLING THICKET. 



Throughout the maple region dense thickets of young saplings are 

 common in abandoned fields and pastures. Where a sugar grove is 

 desired, it will pay to take such young growth in hand if no old trees 

 are available in sufficient numbers. Left to themselves, the young 

 trees usually become so densely crowded that even when 20 feet high 

 they number from 2,000 to 3,000 to the acre. Under such conditions 

 growth almost ceases even in the dominant trees, and at a time 

 which, in normal stands, is the period of most vigorous growth. 



The first thinning should be made when the saplings are about G or 

 8 feet high, if the owner feels justified in helping them at this time. 

 The largest and healthiest trees, on an average about 12 feet apart, 

 should be selected, and the tops of the others cut back with a hatchet 

 or a corn knife in such a way that they can not overtake the favored 

 individuals. 



Cutting back trees in this manner can be done very rapidly. Three 

 men should cut over an acre a day. Although there is no return in 

 firewood or other material from such early thinnings, the young 

 trees will be given a favorable start in their development at the most 

 critical period of growth. The ground cover at the same time will 

 be kept intact by the sprouts, until the selected trees fill out and 

 close up the space with their crowns. When they are about 25 years 

 old the dominant trees, which are about 12 feet apart, will begin to 

 crowd each other, and another thinning must be made to give the best 

 ones room. Experiments are under way to show how much time will 

 be gained by this method in obtaining a stand fit for tapping. All 

 general forest practice shows that the gain over the unthinned thicket 

 should be at least 25 per cent. 



If the thicket to be turned into a sugar grove contains older and 

 larger trees than have been considered, a regular course of thinning 

 phould be instituted. The main points to keep in mind in this case 

 are as follows: 



(1) Choose the thrifty trees which show a tendency to good, sym- 

 metrical crown development, and set their crowns free on all sides to 

 a distance of about 12 feet. See that the selected trees are sound and 

 free from forks which may develop badly. 



(2) Remove all long, spindling trees which are likely to bend over. 



(3) For ground cover, leave all specimens which do not threaten 

 the crowns of the chosen trees and which are capable of casting a 

 small amount of shade. 



(4) Remove all species but maple, except when they are very much 

 suppressed. Low, broad-crowned trees of any kind will help to shade 

 the ground. 



(5) Do not disturb the borders of a dense thicket. Sun and wind 

 must be excluded from a stand which has been suddenly opened up 

 within, and which is unaccustomed to the new conditions. 



To make this system of treatment clearer, a concrete case will be 

 described. In the autumn of 1903 a stand of young maples in Ver- 

 mont was thinned by a member of the Forest Service. The stand 

 is situated at an altitude of about 1,200 feet, with a southeastern 

 exposure. It came up in an abandoned meadow, which was seeded 



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