S Y L V I C U L T U B, E. 



the tips barely showing above the ground. Planting dagger or turn- 

 ing plow are the tools used. Care must be taken to prevent the 

 bark from peeling off. It is claimed that the constant use of cut- 

 tings causes a deterioration of growth. Cuttings of sapling size 

 taken from strong and long branches are also planted in good 

 nursery soil for a number of years and planted in the open ground 

 after catching root. Willows and Poplars allow of heavy trim- 

 ming. Among conifers, only Sequoia permits the use of cuttings. 

 It is claimed that Sequoia-chips sprout successfully in the moist 

 climate of the Coast Range. 



Paragraph LXIX.. Pedagogy of the coppice forest. 



The coppice forest is tended by cleaning, weeding, and thinning; 

 also by improvement cuttings and pruning. 



A. Cleanings : To prevent undesirable shoots from developing, 

 the stumps producing them must be removed. Stumps of undesira- 

 ble species (Blackgum, Hazel, Alder) can be removed only by dig- 

 ging, or by heaping dirt upon them, or by firing heaps of debris 

 placed on the stumps. Usually, it is preferable to deaden undesira- 

 ble trees instead of trying to prevent their stumps from forming 

 sprouts. In some species, stumps three feet high will form poor 

 sprouts, a quality which might be taken advantage of. 



B. Weeding: Misshapen trees or poles of a desirable hardwood 

 species, cut level with the ground, will at once produce shoots of 

 good quality. Poles badly damaged by fires should be cut for an 

 increase of vitality. Trees left because worthless should be dead- 

 ened, unless they belong to the aristocracy, or unless they improve 

 the good sprouts as well as the soil in the role of subordinate 

 companions. 



C. Thinnings: Thinnings in European coppice woods are rare; 

 in tanbark coppice they usually purport to improve the quality of 

 the bark. Where made, the thinnings usually remove the weaker 

 shoots of a stump for the benefit of the better and stronger shoots. 

 The rotations of European coppice being short, heavy thinnings tend 

 to deteriorate the quality (branchiness and shape) of the shoots as 

 well as of the soil; and light thinnings are rarely remunerative. 



In America, coppice of Catalpa, of Chestnut, of Locust and 

 Hickory may invite heavy thinnings where fence posts, telephone 

 posts, railroad ties, wagonstock, etc., find a ready market. 



In case of Hickory, thinnings periodically removing the best 

 trees (S, la Borggreve) might seem indicated. 



157 



