SYLVICULTURE. 



E. Thinnings are sometimes indicated in dense coppice in order 

 to increase the food and light supply of the youngest age-class of 

 overwood imbedded in the coppice; or in order to increase gradually 

 the air space surrounding the members of that class, so as not to 

 subject them to the shock of sudden exposure at the time of cop- 

 picing: or to obtain the ends of Par. LXII. A., especially where 

 the overwood classes appear in groups; or to improve the quality 

 and the quantity of the bark in tanbark coppice. 



In all cases, the thinning must yield a surplus revenue. 



Paragraph LXXV. Key to the forms of coppice-under-standards 

 forests. 



The primeval woods do not contain any form of coppice under 

 standards. In culled hardwood forests, on the other hand, these 

 lorms are almost regularly met with. 



A. Culled forms of coppice under standards. 



, I. Characteristics: Primeval hardwood forests are usually 

 paucivendible only. After lumbering the merchantable species and 

 sizes, a rank growth of coppice shoots frequently enters an appear- 

 ance under the assistance of fires, overshadowed by poles and trees 

 of all age-classes devoid of present value. Manj^ individuals of the 

 overwood are badly burned; or are hollow, fungus decayed, worm 

 riddled, etc. 



Thus whilst the underwood consists of fire coppice or shoots 

 sprouting from the stumps of merchantable trees, the overwood con- 

 sists of undesirable species and of immature trees usually crippled 

 by firing and felling, in addition, there are plenty of weed trees 

 left on the ground. The younger age-classes of the overwood are 

 usually absent. 



In forests originally composed of a Pine overwood and of a 

 hardwoou imderwood a form once frequently found all over the 

 Southeast the lumberman usually removes merely the taller Pines 

 scaling over ten inches in diameter. The smaller Pines, if fireproof, 

 henceforth join with the hardwood trees and hardwood poles in 

 the formation of an overwood. The underwood consisting of miser- 

 able fire sprouts is continuously clipped by forest fires. The butts 

 of these " snags " are flattened on the ground, as if liquid wood 

 had hardened on it. The shoots, weakly inserted on the callus, 

 can be torn off easily. 



If these snags are cut, fresh shoots will form, of much greater 

 vigor and of greater strength at the point of insertion. 



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