REFORESTATION IN MASSACHUSETTS. 15 



the land back into profitable forest growth, as well as add to 

 the scenic beauty of the section. 



This land lies in tracts varying in size from one to thousands 

 of acres. Practically every farm has a portion which at one 

 time or another has been cut off, burnt over or allowed to 

 lapse into a condition where it is no longer a source of rev- 

 enue, a piece of property which brings in no return, though 

 it is still taxable. Lumbermen, mill owners, water-right com- 

 panies and farmers all have some land which falls under one 

 of the following types, and it is this sort of land which, fortu- 

 nately, furnishes ideal conditions for forest planting. 



CUT-OVER LAND. 



Undoubtedly every lumberman in the Commonwealth ow r ns 

 one or more tracts of land which he has cut off, but which has 

 not come back into any profitable growth and which gives no 

 promise of a future crop. 



Where the land cut off was previously growing pine it is not 

 always advisable to reforest it the first or second season follow- 

 ing, on account of the damage that is almost sure to result 

 from the pine stump beetle (Hylobius pales) . This beetle breeds 

 in the bark of recently cut pine stumps, but dies out as the 

 bark decays. It chews the bark of young conifers, girdling and 

 sometimes killing them, and damages the lateral branches of 

 larger growth. 



Where the land cut off was previously growing hardwoods it is 

 advisable to reforest as soon as possible, as the sprout and hard- 

 wood growths, if allowed to gain too great a headway, will hold 

 the transplants in check, and expensive brushing will become 

 necessary. In some cases hardwood sprouts are so persistent 

 as to make reforestation a doubtful investment. Where doubt 

 exists as to the advisability of planting such land, an applica- 

 tion should be made to the State Forester for an examination. 



BURNED LAND. 



On land which has been subjected to repeated fires, destroy- 

 ing the growth and ground cover, the soil is left free to the 

 action of the weather, to be quickly dried out by the sun, or, 



