56 SEEDING AND PLANTING 



d. The species. The spacing should vary with the degree of 

 hardiness, tendency to branch, and rate of height growth. Ten- 

 der species should be closely spaced, while species that grow rapidly 

 in their juvenile stage, particularly in height growth, should be 

 planted much farther apart than slow-growing species. The various 

 species of Eucalyptus grow with remarkable rapidity in their juven- 

 ile stage, often making 10 feet in height in a single season, hence 

 64 square feet or more of growing space is usually given each tree. 

 Oak, on the other hand, because of its slow height growth in the 

 juvenile stage and its tendency to produce strong side branches, 

 succeeds best when close planted, i.e., with not more than from 

 9 to 16 square feet of growing space for each plant. 



e. The absence or presence of vegetation. The greater the 

 danger that the plantation will be overrun with weeds, the closer 

 the planting should be. Wide spacing is permissible under an 

 overwood because of its beneficial effect when not too dense. 



/. The object of the plantation. The various objects for which 

 a plantation is made affect the spacing, whether it is for the pro- 

 duction of wood, for protection, or for other purposes. 



g. Accessibility. Close spacing is usually justifiable on acces- 

 sible sites. Earlier thinnings are possible because the cost of both 

 harvesting and marketing the product is less than on inaccessible 

 ones. 



h. The condition of the market. Where small material can be 

 marketed at a profit or at least at the cost of its removal, close 

 planting usually has many advantages. Where there is no mar- 

 ket for early thinnings or where they can be removed only at con- 

 siderable expense, wide spacing is more profitable. 



6. Close Spacing and Early Thinnings 



Where thinnings are made as soon as the stand begins to 

 suffer from overcrowding, close planting is always the best so far 

 as the development of the crop is concerned. There are a greater 

 number of trees on the ground from which the crop trees can be 

 selected. The development of side branches is less and the trees 

 grow straighter and taller in proportion to their diameter. As the 

 side branches are smaller, self-pruning is earlier and better. Plan- 

 tations in which from 4 to 9 square feet of growing space are given 

 to each plant can be formed into ideal stands when no considera- 

 tion is given to the expense involved in the formation of the 



