62 FORESTRY 



and confined to the clearing away of individuals that threaten 

 to injure the welfare of the young wood. The fact that the 

 material they produce has commonly little or no value too 

 often leads to these preliminary thinnings being neglected. 

 But even neglect is greatly preferable to over-cutting, for the 

 taking away of many stems at this time is highly prejudicial. 



Thinning 



No distinction can be drawn between a late " weeding " 

 and an early " thinning." In the latter, as in the former, 

 the removal of wide-spreading, misshapen, and other objec- 

 tionable young trees is the chief thing aimed at. As the 

 process of crowding begins to have its effect, the dead and 

 dying trees increase in number, and the young wood should 

 be relieved of these. The age at which the first thinning 

 should take place varies, but it may be said to range com- 

 monly between the twentieth and thirtieth years, though it is 

 often delayed still longer, as in the case of Beech, Spruce, 

 and Silver Fir. If the so-called thinning be properly con- 

 ducted i.e. limited to the extraction of mischievous material 

 nothing but the cost of the operation need deter the forester 

 from making it at any time, however early. But such cut- 

 tings should result in increasing, not in lessening, the struggle 

 between the members composing the crop by freeing these 

 latter from the domination of a few over-assertive individuals. 

 The later thinnings differ somewhat in this respect, and the 

 final thinnings still more. The last mentioned must often 

 take into account the suitable preparation of the soil for the 

 next regeneration. 



The objects of thinning, in the sylvicultural sense, may be 

 defined as aiming at the production of healthy, straight stems 

 of proportionate thickness, but free from side branches. 

 There is (i) the care of the better stems to be considered, 

 and (2) the removal of actively harmful trees and those 

 which have ceased to be useful. As a result of these cut- 

 tings, a certain amount of material is gained, but this should 

 not be regarded as the object of thinning. 



