IMPROVEMENT OF THE FOREST 195 



There are two problems of liberation cuttings: first, 

 in young stands where the crowns of the old trees are 

 well above the young trees ; ^nd second, where the 

 crowns of the young trees have reached the crowns of 

 the scattered older trees. 



The first problem is exactly analogous to the removal 

 and final cuttings in the shelterwood system of natural 

 reproduction. There has not yet been any material in- 

 jury to the young growth, and the overtopping trees may 

 have been a benefit from the standpoint of shelter. In 

 removing the overtopping trees care is taken to do as 

 little damage as possible to the young trees. If the 

 young stand has a good density, the openings will be 

 rapidly filled by the meeting of the crowns. If the 

 opening is too large for this, it is often possible to plant 

 some young trees, which will then grow up with and 

 form a part of the main stand, even though a few years 

 younger. 



In the second problem the stand is older than in the 

 case just described, and the scattered old trees have al- 

 ready retarded the development of the trees immediately 

 under and near their crowns. This is the situation very 

 frequently encountered in second-growth forests. Usu- 

 ally these trees are large, with short boles and broad, 

 spreading crowns. They will not increase appreciably 

 in value, and their continued presence in the stand 

 means further injury to the trees near them. They are, 

 therefore, cut for the benefit of the stand. It often hap- 

 pens, however, that the opening made by cutting one of 



