REFORESTATION IN MASSACHUSETTS. 13 



Species most easily controlled. 



Gray birch and popple, while abundantly prolific, do not 

 cast a dense shade. Where these trees persist, money can be 

 saved by liberal use of the bush scythe on portions of the lot 

 where these trees are abnormally thick. Scattered birch and 

 popple in the young plantation will often do good by supplying 

 a light shade during summer, by rubbing off the lateral branches 

 of the pine, and by helping to develop a long, straight leading 

 shoot. In many cases it is advantageous to go over the 

 plantation with a pair of pruning shears, snipping only the 

 lateral branches of the hardwoods that interfere with the top- 

 most branches of the pine. This method saves expense and 

 develops good pine lumber. 



Another species that may be classed under this head is oak, 

 which, while it casts a very dense shade, is slow-growing and 

 may be surpassed in height by the pine, provided the latter is 

 given a reasonable amount of assistance. Where oak alone is 

 involved, one thorough brushing will often meet the requirements, 

 and the pine will gain the ascendency. The better grades of 

 oak may be handled by "limbing up." Scrub oak is an inferior 

 species and should be cut clean. Scrub oak following a fire 

 may sometimes be crowded out in the course of time by planting 

 the pine in the open spaces. This applies especially to certain 

 portions of Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard. (See Fig. 12.) 



Species Difficult of Control. 



The trees most difficult of control in the young plantation 

 are the chestnut and the soft maple, on account of their very 

 rapid growth. The chestnut bark disease cannot be depended 

 upon to kill off sufficient sprouts to protect the pine, as sprouts 

 will continue to spring up so long as there is any life in the 

 old stump. Maple is equally fast growing, has no destructive 

 enemies, and casts a dense shade. Repeated brushing is the 

 only protection for a pine plantation made among maple 

 sprouts. 



