12 FOREST PROTECTION 



CHAPTER II: PROTECTION AGAINST ANIMALS. 



Par. 3. Protection Against Domestic Animals on Pasture. 

 A INTRODUCTION. 



Forest pasture is a legitimate forest industry. The waste pro- 

 duction of the soil, in addition to shoots and branches of trees, are util- 

 ized by pasturing stock. Vegetable matter transformed into flesh or 

 wool adopts a more marketable and a more profitable shape. 



Forest pasture is, obviously, best adapted to woods of low stump- 

 age prices; of difficult access; of scant timber production (East slopes 

 of the Cascades; ridge between Pisgah and Balsam mountains). 



Forest pasture plays a role in the forest similar to that which field 

 pasture plays on the farm. 



Whether forest pasture pays better in connection with tree growth 

 or regardless of timber production, that is a financial question to be 

 answered by every land owner on the basis of local experience and of 

 individual forecast. 



Abroad, since times immemorial, forests have been pastured and 

 are still pastured to a surprising extent. 



Pasture frequently acts as a silvicultural tool; hogs are used to 

 break the soil and to destroy insects; cattle or sheep driven over seed 

 plantations or through the woods after seed-fall imbed the seeds to a 

 proper depth; they destroy rank weeds overshadowing valuable seed- 

 lings. 



B THE DAMAGE BY PASTURE IN THE FOREST is THREEFOLD: 

 I. To soil. Pasture hardens hard soil and loosens loose soil. 

 II. To trees. This damage consists of: 



a. Browsing on buds, leaves and shoots. 



b. Eating seeds and uprooting seedlings. 



c. Tramping down seedlings and over-riding saplings. 



d. Tossing-off the tops of saplings. 



e. Peeling hardwood poles in spring. 



III. To roads and road drainage. 

 C. FACTORS OF DAMAGE ARE: 



I. Species of trees: Those most exposed are ash, maple, locust, chest- 

 nut, linden, elm; less exposed are yellow poplar, willows, oaks 

 (horses like oaks), birch, fir, hickory and walnut; least endangered 

 are larch, spruce, pine. Practically safe is red cedar. 



II. Age of trees: The seedling stage suffers most. 

 III. Silvicultural system: Systems in which the age classes are mixed 

 suffer most, notably selection system and group system. 



