TENDING OF WOODS 63 



From the somewhat indiscriminate encouragement of the 

 whole wood, through the maintenance of a very close crop in 

 the early periods of growth, the later thinnings are devoted 

 more and more to the furtherance of the better trees. This 

 consists partly in freeing them from the encroachments of 

 Jess desirable rivals, and at the same time trees that have 

 recently passed into a sickly, dying, and dead condition are 

 taken out. 



Species, locality, and the condition of the wood greatly 

 influence the treatment of the thinnings. It is an established 

 principle in forestry that one should proceed more cautiously 

 with young woods and with those in poor situations than 

 with older woods or woods on very fertile soil. Naturally 

 enough, trees growing under disadvantageous conditions are 

 more readily affected by any violation of sylvicultural laws 

 than are those more happily placed. Thinning may begin 

 later, and should be lighter and more frequent when the 

 forest site is a poor one. In woods deficiently stocked 

 whether this state arise from failure at the time of regenera- 

 tion, or through faulty treatment in the past stems have 

 frequently to be left, which under better circumstances would 

 certainly be removed. 



There is a struggle for existence in woods of proper density, 

 which continues throughout the life of the wood. This 

 struggle is chiefly amongst the crowns, which keenly compete 

 with each other for space and light. The competition results 

 from there being many more trees upon the area than can 

 possibly grow and survive. Only the most forward in the 

 race can reach the light and live ; as the light is to be had 

 above only, all the trees press upward in long, straight growths. 

 The shade of the crowns has, further, the effect of making 

 clean stems by ridding the trees of their side branches, and 

 the condition of the soil is improved by the addition of or- 

 ganic matter produced by both the dead and living trees. 



The influence of density is thus seen to work powerfully 

 in the interests of the forester. Its action should, however, 

 be regulated to the objects in view, and this makes it desirable 



