How to Care for Your Small forest 



223 



faster and the mineral soil is some- 

 times exposed. The remaining crop 

 trees, the larger ones, develop larger 

 crowns and produce more seed. 



The second cutting removes a few 

 more trees during the winter and just 

 after a heavy seed crop. The open 

 spaces seed in with a heavy crop of 

 seedlings, and the forest is on its way 

 to adequate restocking. 



Both of the cuttings should be light 

 enough so that grass and weeds will 

 not come in on the open spaces. 



After the seedlings become estab- 

 lished and can get along without the 

 protection of the older trees, the last 

 of the old trees can be cut. 



This method of harvesting an even- 

 aged small forest takes advantage of 

 natural seeding and should result in a 

 crop of young trees of the species de- 

 sired. 



There are particular kinds of trees 

 in even-aged stands that can best be 

 harvested by the seed-tree method. If 

 yours is an even-aged forest, and a local 

 forester advises clear cutting so that 

 the species you have can again be 

 grown in the area, 2 or 3 years can be 

 saved by replanting the cut-over area 

 with trees from the State nursery. 



Often a small forest that has been 

 heavily burned or pastured will reseed 

 itself if livestock and fire are kept out 

 after the young seedlings start growing. 

 If the ground has been packed or is 

 covered with a heavy sod, hogs may be 

 turned in before the seeds fall. The 

 hogs will root up the ground and pre- 

 pare a seedbed. After the seeds fall or 

 are blown in on the area, all grazing 

 should be restricted until the young 

 seedlings become well established. 



The small forest can sometimes be 

 perpetuated from sprouts from unin- 

 jured clean stumps that remain after 

 cutting. Most of the hardwoods, except 

 basswood, do not sprout satisfactorily 

 after the tree has reached 60 years. 

 Most of the cone-bearing trees do not 

 sprout; exceptions are young shortleaf 

 and pitch pines. Trees cut during win- 

 ter or early in the spring usually pro- 

 duce the best sprouts, and there is less 



likelihood of any injury the following 

 winter. Sprouts from trees that have 

 been cut in the summer often are killed 

 by the next winter's frost. 



WHERE TO PLANT TREES is import- 

 ant. Planting is often desirable as a 

 means for perpetuating small forests or 

 of starting a new forest, and trees of a 

 useful variety successfully started on 

 the right land are almost sure to re- 

 turn a profit. 



1. Plant trees on land that has little 

 or no other use on the farm. Areas that 

 are too small for growing crops are 

 often used to grow a few trees that will 

 be valuable for home use. 



2. Understocked or sick forest areas 

 that are not reseeding naturally can be 

 planted. 



3. Small forests that have been cut 

 over and that are not reseeding satis- 

 factorily should be planted. 



4. If land has been cut up or ruined 

 by erosion, the forest-tree seedlings will 

 often hold it in place and produce a 

 valuable crop in years to come. 



5. If a small forest is filled with 

 trees of no value, such as scrub oak or 

 other worthless varieties, it can be torn 

 up with land-clearing equipment and 

 planted with trees that will have a 

 future value. 



6. Often the worn-out, rocky, or 

 hilly land on a farm can be planted to 

 trees, not only for the protection they 

 afford the land, but to provide a home 

 for wildlife, to beautify the farm, and 

 to grow a few fence posts or timbers 

 for home use. 



It is well to remember that land that 

 has been abandoned or considered use- 

 less will often grow a crop of trees. 



WHAT TO PLANT: Look around the 

 community or general area where your 

 land is located ; see what kinds of trees 

 are growing best and plant that type 

 on your land. It is also good business 

 to plant species of trees that grow fast 

 and develop salable products in a few 

 years; however, a fast-growing tree 

 that will not produce a salable product 

 should not be planted. 



