S Y L V I C U L T U K E. 



B. The shaftlet: Crooks are not injurious, the plant healing 

 them quickly. Slender plants are not desirable, partly because they 

 sway badly in the wind, thus getting loose in the soil; partly 

 Because slender shafts are due to excessively close position in the 

 nurseries. In the case of broad-leaved seedlings one or two years 

 old the shaft of spindling specimens may be cut off without lasting 

 injury (not in confers). 



C. The buds: The buds must have a healthy color, a large size 

 anu a goodly number. Small buds prove the plant to be weak; so 

 that it has a poor chance to withstand the hardships of transplant- 

 ing. In conifers, the condition of the buds is especially telling. Poor 

 and few buds in hardwoods render it advisable to lop the stemlets. 



Paragraph XX. Age, size and number of seedlings used. 



A. Young plants are more easily transplanted than old plants, 

 the loss of root system being smaller. Large saplings (10 ft. high 

 to 4 inches in diameter) are transplanted only at great expense and 

 great risk. They must be transplanted with big balls of dirt 

 attached. 



B. The number of plants used per acre in Europe varies 

 between 1,000 and 40,000 specimens per acre in case of Pines, Spruces 

 and Beeches. The advantage of a large number of small plants is: 



I. Better chance for nature to select the fittest. 



II. Less reinforcing required. 



III. Even unexperienced planters can be used. 



IV. Plant material is very cheap. 



V. Larger returns from first thinning and clearer boles. 



On the other hand, the advantage of planting stronger seedlings, 

 especially transplants three to six years old, lies in the following 

 points: 



VI. On poor soil, strong plants have a better chance. 



VII. Older plants have already overcome the " measles " of child- 

 hood fungi, insect diseases to a large extent. 



VIII. Such plantations suffer less from snowbreak. 



IX. Tne rotation is shortened by a number of years. In a 

 White Pine plantation made with seedlings seven years old, instead 

 of seedlings two years old, the rotation is reduced from fifty to 

 forty-five years; and the original cost of planting may be 27% 

 higher, figuring at 5% interest; 22% higher, figuring at 4% interest; 

 13% higher, figuring at 3% interest. 



C. Generally speaking, Oak, Hickory and Walnut should be 

 planted one year old on account of the large size of the tap root|. 



63 



